Active/passive Health Dictionary

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Active/passive: From 1 Different Sources

adj. the ethical distinction between actively doing something to a patient and simply allowing it to happen or failing to act (the acts and omissions doctrine). For instance, doctors should act to save life if possible, but when death is inevitable it is permissible to let it happen, although the prohibition against killing would not allow active intervention. See also dying.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Passive Movement

A movement induced by someone other than the patient. Physiotherapists (see PHYSIOTHERAPY) manipulate joints by passive movement in order to retain and encourage function of a nerve or muscle that is not working normally because of injury or disease.... passive movement

Active Ageing

The process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.... active ageing

Passive Intervention

Health promotion and disease prevention initiatives which do not require the direct involvement of the individual (e.g. fluoridation programmes) are termed “passive”.... passive intervention

Active Principle

There are active and passive (in-active) constituents in all plants. An active principle is the most active constituent.

The amount of active constituent of a plant is not constant. The percentage of active constituent varies greatly. For this reason official pharmacy standardises drugs. See: WHOLE PLANT. ... active principle

Passive Smoking

Involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke by people who do not smoke. Passive smoking has been shown to increase the risks of chest and ear infections in children and of tobaccoinduced cancers in adults.... passive smoking

Active Transport

(in biochemistry) an energy-dependent process in which certain substances (including ions, some drugs, and amino acids) are able to cross cell membranes against a concentration gradient. The process is inhibited by substances that interfere with cellular metabolism (e.g. high doses of digitalis).... active transport

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