What the medicine is for.
A situation or sign which suggests that a specific treatment should be given or that a condition has a particular cause.
In medicine, reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure; for example, the presence of a bacterial infection is an indication for the use of a specific antibiotic.
A strong reason for believing that a particular course of action is desirable. In a wounded patient, the loss of blood, which would lead to circulatory collapse, is an indication for blood transfusion.
A finding or piece of information which suggests or points to the proper next step in diagnosis or treatment of the patient. A certain set of symptoms and physical findings, for example, is an “indication” for diagnostic x-rays in a suspected fracture.
A sign or circumstance that suggests the proper treatment of a disease.