Glossary

Author: Glossary

  • Diastalsis

    A wave of inhibition before a forward contraction in the intestine. The process is similar to peristalsis. A type of peristalsis where a wave of relaxation comes before a wave of contraction.  

  • Diascopy

    Examination of skin lesions by means of a diascope.  

  • Diascope

    A glass plate held against the skin for examining superficial lesions. Erythematous lesions will show the compressed capillary bed, but a hemorrhagic area will not blanch when the glass is pressed against the skin.  

  • Diary

    A personal record kept by a patient or caregiver of important outpatient observations, e.g., blood pressures; blood glucose levels; caloric intake; or the frequency of certain symptoms, such as bowel movements, crying spells, headaches, palpitations, or urination.  

  • Diarticular

    To two joints; specifically, the temporomandibular joints, where the mandible articulates in two places with the skull.  

  • Diarrheal shellfish poisoning

    Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea occurring after eating shellfish that have ingested okadaic acid and other toxins produced by marine algae (dinoflagellates). The disease resolves spontaneously from within hours to a few days.  

  • Weanling diarrhea

    Severe gastroenteritis that sometimes occurs in infants who recently have been weaned.  

  • Summer diarrhea

    Diarrhea occurring in children during months when rotavirus is not prevalent. Shigella, Campylobacter jejuni, and Cryptosporidia are among the most common causes. A type of contagious stomach and intestinal inflammation commonly observed in children, typically occurring in the summer and often triggered by food contamination due to flies.  

  • Simple diarrhea

    Diarrhea in which stools contain only normal excreta.  

  • Secretory diarrhea

    Diarrhea in which there is a large volume of fecal output caused by abnormalities of the movement of fluid and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen. This can be caused by hormonal abnormalities present in disorders such as carcinoid syndrome, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, certain types of pancreatic adenomas, and medullary carcinomas of the thyroid.