Medical terms - Letter P (page 25) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Propylthiouracil (PTU)

A drug that blocks the production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. PTU is used to treat hyperthyroidism, to reduce the excessive thyroid activity before surgery and to treat and maintain patients not having…
Prospective

Looking forward. A prospective study or a prospective clinical trial is one in which the participants are identified and then followed forward in time
Prospective study

A study in which the subjects are identified and then followed forward in time
Prostaglandin

One of a number of hormone-like substances that participate in a wide range of body functions such as the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle, the dilation and constriction of blood vessels, control of blood…
Prostaglandin E2

One of the prostaglandins, a group of hormone-like substances that participate in a wide range of body functions such as the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle, the dilation and constriction of blood vessels…
Prostaglandin F2-alpha

One of the prostaglandins, a group of hormone-like substances that participate in a wide range of body functions such as the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle, the dilation and constriction of blood vessels…
Prostate

A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the bladder. Chestnut shaped, the prostate surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the canal that empties the bladder. The prostate is actually not…
Prostate acid phosphatase

(PAP) Prostatic acid phosphatase, an enzyme that is produced by the prostate (and other tissues) and that is elevated in some patients with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer: An uncontrolled (malignant) growth of cells in the prostate gland which is located at the base of the urinary bladder and is responsible for helping control urination as well as forming part of the…
Prostate cancer gene

Prostate cancer gene: One of the genes that influences the origin and/or progression of prostate cancer, cancer of the prostate gland. Prostate cancer genes are scattered around in the human genome. They have been found…
Prostate cancer gene BRCA2

A gene that normally acts to restrain the growth of cells but which, when mutated, is responsible for a significant fraction of early-onset cases of prostate cancer. BRCA2 was originally identified in breast cancer. It…
Prostate enlargement

Most prostatic enlargement is due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a problem that bothers men increasingly with advancing age. The process of BPH generally begins in a man's 30s, evolves very slowly and usually…
Prostate gland

A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the bladder. Chestnut shaped, the prostate surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the canal that empties the bladder. The prostate is actually not…
Prostate specific antigen

Prostate specific antigen: Widely known as PSA. See: PSA.
Prostate, nodular hyperplasia

See: Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Prostatectomy

The surgical removal of the prostate gland. NTER>
Prostatectomy, perineal

See: Perineal prostatectomy
Prostatectomy, radical

See: Radical prostatectomy
Prostatectomy, retropubic

See: Retropubic prostatectomy
Prostatic acid phosphatase

(PAP) An enzyme that is normally present only in small amounts in the blood, but that may be found at higher levels in some patients with prostate cancer, especially if the cancer has spread beyond the prostate…
Prostatic hyperplasia, benign

See: Benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Prostatic hypertrophy, benign

Inflammation of the prostate gland, a very common health concern, accounting for up to 25% of all medical office visits by young and middle-age men for problems relating to the genital and urinary systems. The prostate…
Prostatitis

Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland, a very common health concern, accounting for up to 25% of all medical office visits by young and middle-age men for problems relating to the genital and urinary systems…
Prostatitis, acute bacterial

Prostatitis, acute bacterial: Inflammation of the prostate gland of sudden (acute) onset due to bacterial infection. The symptoms include chills, fever, pain in the lower back and genital area, body aches, burning or…
Prostatitis, chronic bacterial

Prostatitis, chronic bacterial: Longstanding bacterial infection of the prostate gland superimposed on a defect in the prostate. (The prostate is a small organ below the bladder which surrounds the urethra, the tube…
Prostatitis, nonbacterial

Prostatitis, nonbacterial: Inflammation of the prostate not due to bacterial infection. The prostate is a walnut-sized organ below the male bladder that surrounds the urethra and contributes fluid to the semen…
Prostatodynia

A type of inflammation of the prostate not due to bacterial infection and in which there are no objective findings, such as the presence of infection-fighting cells, in the urine of men who suffer from the disease. The…
Prostheses

More than one prosthesis. See: Prosthesis
Prosthesis

An artificial substitute or replacement of a part of the body such as a tooth, eye, a facial bone, the palate, a hip, a knee or another joint, the leg, an arm, etc. A prosthesis is designed for functional or cosmetic…
Prosthesis, auditory

See: Auditory prosthesis
Prosthesis, cleft palate

See: Cleft palate prosthesis
Prosthesis, nasal

See: Nasal prosthesis
Prosthesis, ocular

See: Ocular prosthesis
Prosthetic

Referring to a prosthesis, an artificial substitute or replacement of a part of the body such as a tooth, eye, a facial bone, the palate, a hip, a knee or another joint, the leg, an arm, etc. A prosthesis is designed…
Prosthetics

The art and science of developing artificial replacements for body parts. Depending on the type of prosthesis, prosthetics may be built and fitted/implanted in a hospital (as in the case of an artificial knee joint), or…
Prosthodontist

A dentist with special training in making replacements for missing teeth or other structures of the oral cavity to restore the patient's appearance, comfort, and/or health. The American College of Prosthodontists states…
Protean

Very variable; easily changing; or continually changing. Protean is not to be confused with protein (a member of a large group of chemicals necessary to and found in all living things). Protean refers to Proteus, the…
Protease

An enzyme that can split a protein into peptides (from which the protein was originally created).
Protease inhibitor

One of a class of anti-HIV drugs designed to inhibit the enzyme protease and thereby interfere with virus replication. Protease inhibitors prevent proteases from splitting proteins into peptides. Protease inhibitors…
Proteasome

A protein degradation 'machine' within the cell that can digest a variety of proteins into short polypeptides and amino acids. The proteasome is itself made up of proteins. It requires ATP to work. It is hollow and has…
Protein

A large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order determined by the base sequence of nucleotides in the DNA coding for the protein. Proteins are required for the structure, function, and…
Protein C

A vitamin K-dependent protein in plasma that enters into the cascade of biochemical events leading to the formation of a clot
Protein C deficiency

Protein C is a protein in plasma that enters into the cascade of biochemical events leading to the formation of a clot. Deficiency of protein C results in thrombotic (clotting) disease and excess platelets with…
Protein kinase A

An enzyme system that is activated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and that catalyzes the activity of intracellular proteins. There are two isozymes of protein kinase A, type I and type II. Also known as…
Protein kinase A regulatory subunit 1-alpha

See: PRKAR1A
Protein malnutrition

Insufficient intake of nitrogen-containing food (protein) to maintain a nitrogen balance or nitrogen equilibrium. Children are particularly prone to develop protein malnutrition. To grow, children have to consume enough…
Protein requirements, infant

Proteins contain different amino acids that are linked together. Proteins provide both calories and the amino acid building blocks that are necessary for proper growth. The protein in human milk provides between 10%-15%…
Protein ZIP code

An informal name for a molecular cell biology system of signals or 'address tags' that guide the movement of a protein within a cell. In more technical terms, protein ZIP codes* are molecular signals that direct the…
Protein, acute phase

See: Acute-phase protein
Protein, C-reactive

See: Proteolipid protein.