chronic obstructive lung disease Any disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. Abbreviated COLD. COLD mainly involves two related diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The obstruction is generally permanent and worsens over time. In asthma, there is also obstruction of airflow out of the lungs, but the obstruction is usually reversible, and between asthma attacks, the…
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease See chronic obstructive lung disease.
chronic peritonitis See peritonitis, chronic.
chronic phase See leukemia, chronic phase of.
chronic tamponade See tamponade, chronic.
chronicity The state of being chronic, having a long duration.
Churg-Strauss syndrome A disease characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels in persons with history of asthma or allergy. The symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, inflammation of the nasal passages, numbness, and weakness. The diagnosis is confirmed with a biopsy of involved tissue. Treatment involves stopping inflammation and suppressing the immune system. Also known as…
chyme A predigested, acidified mass of food that passes from the stomach into the small intestine.
Ci The abbreviation for a Curie, a unit of radioactivity. See also Curie.
-cide Suffix indicating killing or killer, as in bactericide (a solution capable of killing bacteria).
ciliary neuralgia See cluster headache.
circadian Refers to events occurring within the span of a full 24-hour day, as in a circadian clock.