Category: D

A colloquial term for a personal history of one’s addiction to alcohol and its consequences, often recited at a meeting with other alcoholics. The recital is often used for therapeutic purposes, e.g., it defines the speaker as an alcoholic and details the ways in which alcoholism has harmed or continues to harm the person seeking…

The membrane of the tympanic cavity; the tympanum or cavity of the middle ear. The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane.  

The removal from the market of a therapeutic agent that had been previously approved for use in patient care. Drug withdrawals affect millions of patients annually. They usually result from the aftermarket recognition of adverse drug reactions that were not noted during the drug approval process. Prominent examples of drug withdrawals include: Bextra, Fen/Phen, and…

In pharmacy dispensing, the replacement of one drug by another. Typically a generic drug, or a drug available in a restricted formulary, is substituted for a brand-name drug.  

A clinical laboratory procedure that checks a patient’s blood or urine sample for presence of certain drugs such as barbiturates, opioids, or amphetamines. Also called a tox screen.  

Unaffected by chemotherapy.  

Adverse and undesired reaction to a substance taken for its pharmacological effects. An estimated 15% of hospitalized patients develop toxic or allergic drug reactions.  

A program managed by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc., that informs the product manufacturer, the labeler, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of potential health hazards and defective drug products. The reports may be submitted by any health professional.  

The manipulation of medications in order to administer them. It is important to carefully read the label or other printed instruction issued with medications. The ordered doses (quantities) should be measured accurately and never estimated. A measuring glass or spoon marked in milliliters, ounces, or both should be used. In giving a dose of medicine,…

A number assigned by the DEA to health care providers indicating that the person or facility is registered with the DEA to prescribe controlled substances.