Peak Biting Time: From 1 Different Sources
The period during which the biting cycle of a given mosquito species when the largest number of females take blood meals.
A common practice in schoolchildren, most of whom gradually give it up as they approach adolescence. Too much signi?cance should therefore not be attached to it; in itself it does no harm, and punishment or restraining devices are not needed. It is a manifestation of tension or insecurity, the cause of which should be removed. In some people the habit is carried into adulthood.... nail-biting
See COAGULATION.... clotting time
A device that measures the rate at which an individual can expel air from the LUNGS. This is an indication of the reserve in the capacity of the lungs. Narrowed airways (bronchospasm) slow the rate at which air can be expelled; the peak ?ow meter can assess the severity of the condition. ASTHMA causes bronchospasm and the device can measure the e?ectiveness of treatment with BRONCHODILATOR drugs; this should be done regularly to monitor the progress of the disease.... peak flow meter
a quickly performed test to assess the adequacy of circulation in an individual with poor cardiac output. An area of skin is pressed firmly by (say) a fingertip until it loses its colour; the number of seconds for the area to return to its original colour indicates capillary refill time. Normal capillary refill takes around 2 seconds. Slow capillary refill may occur globally in an individual with poor circulation or in a small area (e.g. a toe) in which local circulation is compromised (due, for example, to peripheral vascular disease). This test may not be very useful in people with dark skin.... capillary refill time
(clotting time) the time taken for blood or blood plasma to coagulate (see blood coagulation). When measured under controlled conditions and using appropriate techniques, coagulation times may be used to test the function of the various stages of the blood coagulation process.... coagulation time
the time in minutes between a patient with S–T elevation *myocardial infarction reaching the hospital door and inflation of a balloon or other interventional device in the occluded coronary artery. It is a key indicator of the timeliness of an emergency *percutaneous coronary intervention service.... door to balloon time
(PEFR) the maximum rate at which a person can forcibly expel air from the lungs at any time, expressed usually in litres per minute (occasionally in litres per second). A low value can help diagnose asthma in the correct clinical context, and differences between the morning and evening values can also be a feature of poor control of asthma. There is a place for PEFR in the monitoring of acute exacerbations of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) but not in the diagnosis of COPD.... peak expiratory flow rate
(PT) the time taken for blood clotting to occur in a sample of blood to which calcium and thromboplastin have been added. A prolonged PT (compared with a control sample) indicates a deficiency of *coagulation factors, which – with calcium and thromboplastin – are required for the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin to occur in the final stages of blood coagulation. Measurement of PT is used to control anticoagulant therapy (e.g. with warfarin). See INR.... prothrombin time
the rapid acquisition and manipulation of ultrasound information from a scanning probe by electronic circuits to enable images to be produced on TV screens almost instantaneously. The operator can place the scanning probe accurately on the region of interest in order to observe its structure and appreciate moving structures within it (see Doppler ultrasound). Using similar techniques, the instantaneous display of other imaging modalities, such as *computerized tomography scanning and *magnetic resonance imaging, can now be achieved. Real-time imaging is useful in guiding *interventional radiology procedures, for example, allowing a needle to be guided accurately as it is passed into the body. It is also useful for observing dynamic physiological activity.... real-time imaging
see lambda sign.... twin-peak sign
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