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 triamcinolone acetonide inhaler Main Article |  Glossary |  triamcinolone acetonide inhaler Index 

triamcinolone acetonide inhaler, Azmacort Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the triamcinolone acetonide inhaler, Azmacort article.

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness that is of short duration, rapidly progressive, and in need of urgent care.
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Asthma : A common disorder in which chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, narrowing the airways. Asthma involves only the bronchial tubes and does not affect the air sacs ( alveoli ) or the lung tissue (the parenchyma of the lung) itself.
See the entire definition of Asthma

Breast milk: Milk from the breast . Human milk contains a balance of nutrients that closely matches infant requirements for brain development, growth and a healthy immune system . Human milk also contains immunologic agents and other compounds that act against viruses , bacteria , and parasites. Since an infant's immune system is not fully developed until age 2, human milk provides a distinct advantage over formula.
See the entire definition of Breast milk

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through the mouth or nose due to muscle contraction, and then exhaled due to muscle relaxation.

Candidiasis: Overgrowth of the C. albicans yeast in the gastrointestinal tract, or infection of other body areas with this yeast. Vaginal yeast infections, some forms of diaper rash and other skin rashes that emerge in moist, warm areas of skin, and thrush (a condition characterized by patches of white inside the mouth and/or throat) are all forms of yeast infection. Candidiasis tends to develop when the normal balance of bacteria (flora) in the area is upset, as can occur with antibiotic use. Prevention measures include the use of probiotics and in some cases dietary changes. Treatment is via antifungal medications. Candidiasis is usually a minor and easily addressed problem, but can be more serious for those with immune-system disorders, such as AIDS.

Chronic: This important term in medicine comes from the Greek chronos, time and means lasting a long time.
See the entire definition of Chronic

Cortisol: The primary stress hormone. Cortisol is the major natural GLUCOCORTICOID (GC) in humans.
See the entire definition of Cortisol

Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs typically in order to clear the lung airways of fluids, mucus, or material. Also called tussis.

Dry mouth: The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to inadequate function of the salivary glands. Everyone has dry mouth once in a while when they are nervous, upset or under stress. But if someone has a dry mouth most all of the time, it can be uncomfortable and lead to serious health problems.
See the entire definition of Dry mouth

FDA: The Food and Drug Administration, an agency within the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
See the entire definition of FDA

Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.

Generic: 1. The chemical name of a drug. 2. A term referring to the chemical makeup of a drug rather than to the advertised brand name under which the drug may be sold. 3.A term referring to any drug marketed under its chemical name without advertising.

See the entire definition of Generic

Glucocorticoid: A hormone that predominantly affects the metabolism of carbohydrates and, to a lesser extent, fats and proteins (and has other effects). Glucocorticoids are made in the outside portion (the cortex) of the adrenal gland and chemically classed as steroids. Cortisol is the major natural glucocorticoid. The term glucocorticoid also applies to equivalent hormones synthesized in the laboratory.

Headache : A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the head (occipital), or in the back of the upper neck. Headache, like chest pain or back ache, has many causes.
See the entire definition of Headache

Hoarseness: Hoarseness is a term referring to abnormal voice changes. Hoarseness may be manifested as a voice that sounds breathy, strained, rough, raspy, or a voice that has higher or lower pitch. There are many causes of hoarseness, including viral laryngitis, vocal cord nodules, laryngeal papillomas, gastroesophageal reflux-related laryngitis, and environmental irritants (such as tobacco smoking). An accumulation of fluid in the vocal cords associated with hoarseness has been termed Reinke's edema. Reinke's edema may occur as a result of cigarette smoking or voice abuse (prolonged or extended talking or shouting). Rarely, hoarseness results from serious conditions such as cancers of the head and neck region.

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Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs.
See the entire definition of Hormone

Infant: A child up to 2 years (24 months) of age.
See the entire definition of Infant

Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
See the entire definition of Infection

Inflammation: A basic way in which the body reacts to infection , irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain . Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response .
See the entire definition of Inflammation

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon dioxide from and bring oxygen to the blood. There is a right and left lung.

Metered dose inhaler: See: Metered-dose inhaler.

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and containing the teeth, gums, and tongue. Foodstuffs are broken down mechanically in the mouth by chewing and saliva is added as a lubricant. Saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that digests starch. 2. Any opening or aperture in the body. The mouth in both senses of the word is also called the os, the Latin word for an opening, or mouth. The o in os is pronounced as in hope. The genitive form of os is oris from which comes the word oral.

Nursing: 1) Profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintenance and restoration of health by attending the needs of sick persons. 2) Feeding a infant at the breast.

Pharmacy: A location where prescription drugs are sold. A pharmacy is, by law, constantly supervised by a licensed pharmacist.

Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx (the hollow tube in the back of the throat about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea ). Pharyngitis is popularly known as a sore throat .
See the entire definition of Pharyngitis

Pregnancy : The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. This condition can be indicated by positive results on an over-the-counter urine test, and confirmed through a blood test, ultrasound, detection of fetal heartbeat, or an X-ray. Pregnancy lasts for about nine months, measured from the date of the woman's last menstrual period (LMP). It is conventionally divided into three trimesters, each roughly three months long.
See the entire definition of Pregnancy

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.
See the entire definition of Pregnant

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or device for a patient. A prescription has several parts. They include the superscription or heading with the symbol "R" or "Rx", which stands for the word recipe (meaning, in Latin, to take); the inscription, which contains the names and quantities of the ingredients; the subscription or directions for compounding the drug; and the signature which is often preceded by the sign "s" standing for signa (Latin for mark), giving the directions to be marked on the container.

Resorption: The process of losing substance. Bone, when it is remodeled (reshaped), undergoes both new formation and resorption. The cell responsible for the resorption of bone is called an osteoclast .
See the entire definition of Resorption

Steroid: A general class of chemical substances that are structurally related to one another and share the same chemical skeleton (a tetracyclic cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene skeleton).
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Stress: Forces from the outside world impinging on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life that can help us learn and grow. Conversely, stress can cause us significant problems.
See the entire definition of Stress

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of the mouth , consisting anatomically of the pharynx and larynx . The throat contains the trachea and a portion of the esophagus .
See the entire definition of Throat

Thrush: Yeast infection of the mouth and throat, characterized by patches of white, caused by the fungus Candida albicans .
See the entire definition of Thrush

Wheezing: A whistling noise in the chest during breathing when the airways are narrowed or compressed.

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 triamcinolone acetonide inhaler Main Article |  Glossary |  triamcinolone acetonide inhaler Index 




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triamcinolone acetonide inhaler, Azmacort

Unusual symptoms of asthma

Patients suffering from episodes of asthma do not always have the typical symptoms of asthma such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing (symptoms of airway narrowing). Instead, patients can have symptoms that may not appear to be related to asthma. These "unusual" asthma symptoms include

  • rapid breathing,
  • sighing,
  • fatigue and inability to exercise properly,
  • difficulty sleeping,
  • anxiety and difficulty concentrating,
  • chronic cough without wheezing,
  • protracted cough after an upper respiratory illness,
  • recurrent diagnosis of walking pneumonia, and
  • noises emanating from the chest usual during exhalation.

To complicate matters, symptoms of asthma are not consistent and often vary from time to time in an individual. In some patients, symptoms are influenced by diurnal factor...

Read the Asthma Complexities article »










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