Opiate
A medication or an illegal drug that is derived from the opium poppy or that mimics the effect of an opiate (a synthetic opiate). Opiate drugs are narcotic sedatives that depress activity of the central nervous system, reduce pain, and induce sleep. Side effects may include oversedation, nausea, and constipation. Long-term use of opiates can produce addiction, and overuse can cause overdose and potentially death.
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- Opiate agonist maintenance
Methadone treatment program.
- Opioid
1. A synthetic narcotic that resembles the naturally occurring opiates. 2. Any substance that binds to or otherwise affects the opiate receptors on the surface of the cell.
- Opisthotonos
A great rigid spasm of the body, with the back fully arched and the heels and head bent back. Opisthotonos occurs in meningitis, especially in infants, due to irritation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It also occurs with depressed brain function and injury to the brain. Opisthotonos is an ominous neurologic […]
- Opium
An addictive narcotic drug that is derived from the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy. Preparations of opium were called laudanum. Derivatives of opium include paregoric (a drug used to treat diarrhea), morphine, and heroin. For centuries, opium was used as a painkiller in the Middle East and Asia. It gained great popularity in Europe […]
- Opportunistic condition
A condition that occurs especially or exclusively in persons with a weak immune system due, for example, to AIDS, cancer or immunosuppressive drugs, such as corticosteroids or chemotherapy. An opportunistic condition may be an infection, such as toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus (CMV), or a tumor, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma in AIDS. See also opportunistic infection, opportunistic […]