Definitions of Medical Terms

Definition: A degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage.
Prefix: Osteo- (from Greek osteon meaning "bone")
Root: Arth- (from Greek arthron meaning "joint")
Suffix: -itis (from Greek indicating inflammation)
Explanation: Osteoarthritis involves inflammation (indicated by -itis) of the joint (arth-) and is related to the bone (osteo-). It is a condition where the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints gradually deteriorates. This breakdown causes pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Definition: A class of drugs that reduces pain, decreases inflammation, and lowers fever. They are non-steroidal, distinguishing them from corticosteroids.
Prefix: Non- (meaning "not")
Root: Steroid (referring to a steroidal structure), Inflamm- (from Latin inflammare meaning "to set on fire, inflame")
Suffix: -atory (relating to a process or condition), -ic (suffix used to form adjectives)
Explanation: NSAIDs are medications that combat inflammation (anti-inflammatory) without using steroids (non-steroidal). They work by blocking certain enzymes in the body that help make prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that contribute to inflammation and pain. "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug" indicates that the drug reduces inflammation but it's not a steroid.

Definition: Abnormally high blood pressure.
Prefix: Hyper- (from Greek meaning "over, above, excessive")
Root: Tens- (from Latin tendere meaning "to stretch, strain")
Suffix: -ion (indicating a condition or action)
Explanation: Hypertension, literally "over-stretching" (hyper- + -tension), describes a condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the vessels. High blood pressure can leads to severe health complications and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Definition: A substance used to treat or prevent disease.
Prefix: Medic- (from Latin medicus meaning "physician, relating to medicine")
Root: None
Suffix: -ation (indicating a process or condition)
Explanation: Medication is a general term referring to any substance administered for therapeutic purposes. It encompasses a wide range of drugs, remedies, and treatments aimed at improving health or managing disease conditions.

Definition: Identified a disease or condition through examination and analysis.
Prefix: Dia- (from Greek meaning "through, apart, across")
Root: Gnosed (from Greek gnosis meaning "knowledge")
Suffix: -ed (past tense suffix)
Explanation: Diagnosis involves using knowledge (gnosis) to understand a condition; the prefix "dia-" suggests that the knowledge is obtained "through" examination and analysis leading to discernment. Once a disease or condition has been identified in a patient through medical examination and tests, it is considered to be "diagnosed".