Medical terms starting with D

61 entries

• -desisSurgical fusion or binding.
• -dyniaPain.
• D&CDilation and curettage: a procedure that opens the cervix and scrapes the uterine lining.
• D/CCan mean discharge or discontinue. Error-prone: medications have been stopped too early. Write discharge or discontinue.
• dactyl/oFinger or toe.
• de-Away from, removal, or loss of.
• decongestantA medicine that gives short-term relief of nasal congestion.
• decontaminationRemoving or destroying bloodborne pathogens on a surface or item so it is safe to handle, use or discard.
• deductibleThe amount the patient owes for covered services each coverage period before the plan starts to pay.
• deepFarther from the surface of the body.
• defendantThe person or party being sued or charged.
• defense mechanismAn unconscious thought or behavior that reduces anxiety in the short term.
• defibrillationDelivering an electric shock to the heart to stop a life-threatening rhythm so a normal rhythm can return.
• dehydrationToo little water in the blood and tissues.
• delegationAssigning a task to someone with the knowledge, skills and competence to perform it.
• deliriumSudden, often reversible confusion, which may be caused by infection, fever or low oxygen.
• deltoidThe triangle-shaped muscle of the upper arm; a common intramuscular injection site for older children and adults.
• delusionA firmly held false belief despite clear evidence against it.
• dementiaChronic, usually irreversible decline in memory and thinking.
• denialRefusing to accept a painful fact or loss; also a stage of grief.
• dent/i, odont/oTooth.
• dependenceA compulsive, chronic need for a substance to feel normal physically or psychologically.
• depolarizationThe electrical change in heart or nerve cells that triggers contraction or a signal.
• derm/o, dermat/oSkin.
• dermisThe skin layer beneath the epidermis, containing blood vessels, nerves, glands and hair follicles.
• dextro-Right or right side.
• dia-Through, across, or apart.
• diabetes mellitusA chronic disease of high blood glucose caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin, or both.
• diaphoresisHeavy sweating.
• diaphragmThe dome-shaped muscle separating the chest and abdominal cavities; the main muscle of breathing.
• diastoleThe phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and the chambers fill.
• diastolic pressureThe bottom blood pressure number: the pressure remaining while the ventricles relax.
• diplo-Double or twofold.
• dis-Apart, separation, or reversal.
• discharge planningPreparing a safe transition for a patient leaving a hospital or facility, back home or to another setting.
• disinfectionRemoving or killing pathogens on objects and surfaces; even high-level disinfection may not destroy all bacterial…
• displacementA defense mechanism of redirecting feelings toward a safer target, such as yelling at staff when angry about a…
• distalFarther from the point where a limb attaches to the trunk.
• distributionTransport of a drug through body fluids to the sites where it acts.
• diureticA drug or substance that increases urine output.
• DKADiabetic ketoacidosis: a serious diabetes complication from too little insulin, with high glucose, ketones and acid in…
• DMDiabetes mellitus.
• DMEDurable medical equipment: reusable equipment ordered for home use, such as walkers, wheelchairs or oxygen equipment.
• DNRDo not resuscitate: a medical order not to perform CPR if breathing or the heart stops.
• dorsal cavityThe posterior body cavity that holds the brain and spinal cord.
• double-bookingScheduling two patients in the same time slot with the same provider.
• DPOADurable power of attorney: a legal document naming someone to act for a person, which stays valid if the person loses…
• DRIDietary reference intakes: a set of nutrient reference values for healthy people.
• droplet precautionsA mask for close contact with patients whose infections spread by respiratory droplets, such as influenza or pertussis.
• droplet transmissionSpread of pathogens in respiratory droplets released by coughing, sneezing or talking.
• drug interactionA change in a drug's effect caused by another drug, a food, a supplement or a medical condition.
• DSM-5Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, used to classify mental disorders.
• duoden/oDuodenum, the first part of the small intestine.
• duration of actionHow long a drug keeps working.
• DVTDeep vein thrombosis: a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg.
• DxDiagnosis.
• dys-Difficult, painful, or abnormal.
• dysphoniaHoarseness or difficulty producing the voice.
• dyspneaDifficult or labored breathing; shortness of breath.
• dysrhythmiaAn abnormal heart rhythm; also called arrhythmia.
• dysuriaPainful or uncomfortable urination.