The general ability of the body to ward off the effects of pathogens.
The capacity to counteract or impede is known as resistance. In the medical context, the term “resistance” holds various interpretations. For instance, blood vessel walls generate resistance against the flow of blood. This resistance intensifies as blood vessel diameter diminishes, whether due to natural physiological mechanisms or due to constriction caused by disease. Elevated resistance corresponds to heightened blood pressure.
Within psychoanalysis, resistance pertains to the suppression of repressed memories or emotions from conscious awareness. The psychoanalyst assists the patient in dismantling this resistance.
Resistance can also denote the capacity to endure assaults from toxins, irritants, or microorganisms. An individual’s resistance against infections is termed immunity.
Drug resistance encompasses the capability of certain microorganisms to withstand previously successful drug therapies. Specific bacteria have inherited genes that grant them immunity to particular antibiotic medications. The excessive use of these antibiotics fosters the proliferation of resistant variations. As a result, medical practitioners are now cautious about prescribing these medications without proper consideration.