dependence
Medical term Basic Pharmacology
A compulsive, chronic need for a substance to feel normal physically or psychologically.
Sources
Related terms
- chronicDescribes a condition that lasts a long time or keeps coming back.
- chemical nameA drug name that describes its chemical structure, used mainly by chemists and pharmacists.
- contraindicationA reason a drug or treatment should not be used in a particular patient.
- corticosteroidA medicine that reduces inflammation.
- decongestantA medicine that gives short-term relief of nasal congestion.
- distributionTransport of a drug through body fluids to the sites where it acts.
- diureticA drug or substance that increases urine output.
- drug interactionA change in a drug's effect caused by another drug, a food, a supplement or a medical condition.
- duration of actionHow long a drug keeps working.