Dictionary

pueperium The time immediately after the delivery of a baby.

pulmonary Having to do with the lungs.

pulmonary artery One of the two vessels which are formed as terminal branches of the pulmonary trunk and convey un-aerated blood to the lungs. The two pulmonary arteries differ in length and anatomy. The right pulmonary artery is the longer of the two. It passes transversely across the midline in the upper chest and passes…

pulmonary edema Fluid in the lungs.

pulmonary embolism Sudden closure of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches, caused by a blood-borne clot or foreign material that plugs the vessel.

pseudoparalysis, spastic See CreutzfeldtJakob disease.

pseudotumor cerebri Increased pressure within the brain in the absence of a tumor. Pseudotumor cerebri can cause headache, ringing in the ears, double vision, loss of visual accuracy, and even complete blindness. It is most common in obese woman of childbearing age. Although its cause is usually not known, pseudotumor cerebri is sometimes linked to…

pseudoxanthoma elasticum A disorder that is characterized by deposition of calcium and other minerals in elastic fibers. It can affect elastic fibers in the skin, eyes, and blood vessels, and less frequently other areas. Abbreviated PXE. PXE is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner and is due to mutations in the ABCC6 gene on chromosome…

psilocybin An hallucinogenic compound obtained from certain mushrooms.

psittacosis An infectious disease that is due to a bacterium (Chlamydia psittaci) contracted from psittacine birds, especially caged birds such as parrots, parakeets, and lovebirds. It is also seen in turkey-processing plants. C. psittaci enters the human body by inhalation of air containing dried secretions from infected birds. Signs and symptoms include fever and chills,…

psoas Two muscles of the lower back. There are two psoas muscles on each side of the back. The larger of the two is called the psoas major and the smaller the psoas minor. The psoas major originates at the spine, around the bottom of the rib cage, and runs down to the thighbone (the…

psoriasis A reddish, scaly, plaque-like rash that is often located over the surfaces of the elbows, knees, and scalp, and around or in the ears, navel, genitals, or buttocks. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of patients with psoriasis develop joint inflammation (inflammatory arthritis). Psoriasis is caused by the body making too many skin cells as…