Glossary

Category: V

  • Viral hepatitis

    Inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. Five types of viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E) have been identified by their unique methods of transmission, onset, and laboratory findings. Form of hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, caused by one of the hepatitis viruses. Symptoms include anorexia (lack of appetite), headache,…

  • Vegetarian diet

    There are several variants of the vegetarian diet. They include the consumption of all foods except meat but can include fish, eggs, milk, and milk products; the consumption of all foods except meat and fish, but can include eggs, milk, and milk products; and the consumption of fruits and vegetables with the exclusion of all…

  • Vegetable allergy

    This kind of allergy may be provoked by beans (soy), peas, and peanuts. Peanut allergy is especially well known. Extensive reactions include urticaria, angioedema, nausea, vomiting, rhinitis, and dyspnea. Anaphylactic shock is not uncommon. The peanut allergen is very stable; it is resistant to all kinds of processing. In peanut butter and peanut flour (which…

  • Veal

    Veal

    Meat from an immature bovine. This term refers to the meat of a young calf, typically between six to eight weeks old and weighing no more than two hundred pounds. Ideally, the calf is milk-fed, resulting in a tender and lean meat that is highly prized by many. While this type of meat is generally…

  • Vasoactive compounds

    Compounds that elicit either vasoconstriction or vasodilation.  

  • Valsartan

    An angiotensin II antagonist that serves as an antihypertensive agent. A drug used to treat high blood pressure. Valsartan (Diovan) is an angiotensin II inhibitor. The drug works by blocking the action of angiotensin II, a substance in the body that causes blood vessels to tighten, thereby raising the blood pressure. By relaxing the blood…

  • Validity of a measurement

    The concordance between the value of a measurement and the true value. A high reproducibility is a prerequisite for validity but does not automatically imply validity. With regard to the validity of the results of epidemiological studies, a distinction is made between internal and external validity.  

  • Valdecoxib

    A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that works by inhibiting the COX-2 enzyme.  

  • Vaccenic acid

    A naturally occurring trans fatty acid that has antiatherogenic effects in LDL-receptor-deficient individuals.  

  • Vertometer

    An instrument used for measuring the vertex power of a lens.