Health, diseases terms glossary - Starting with N

Narcosis: Narcosis- a drug (or other chemical)-induced drowsiness or stupor
Narcotic: Narcotic- an addictive substance that blunts the senses; can cause confusion, stupor, coma, and death with increased dosages
Narcotic analgesics: Narcotic analgesics- a type of painkiller that blocks the transmission of pain signals in the brain; often cause tolerance (the need for higher amounts of the drug to produce the same effect) and drug dependence
Nausea: Nausea- feeling the need to vomit
Nebulizer: Nebulizer- an instrument that provides a drug in its misted form through a face mask; used for severe asthma attacks and for children who have asthma but cannot use an inhaler
Neonate: Neonate- a term used to describe a newborn infant from birth to 1 month of age
Nephropathy (neh-FROP-uh-thee): Kidney damage caused by high blood pressure or diabetes, diagnosed when protein is found in the urine
Nerve: Nerve- a bundle of fibers that transmit electrical messages between the brain and areas of the body; these messages convey sensory or motor function information
Nerve Conduction Studies: Nerve Conduction Studies- Tests to determine nerve function; can detect early neuropathy.
Neuritis: Neuritis- inflammation of a nerve, often characterized by pain, numbness, or tingling; also used to describe nerve damage and disease from causes other than inflammation
Neurofibromatosis: Neurofibromatosis- a condition in which connective tissue tumors occur on nerves in the skin
Neuropathy: Neuropathy- disease, inflammation, or damage to the nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body
Neuropathy (ne-ROP-uh-thee): Damage to the nerves of a person with diabetes. A risk factor for the disease is uncontrolled high blood sugars
Niacin: Niacin- a vitamin important in many chemical processes in the body; also known as vitamin B3
Nicotine: Nicotine- A chemical present in tobacco which is believed to be responsible for the harmful effects of tobacco abuse on heart and the circulatory system.
Nitrates: Nitrates- a group of drugs that widen blood vessels; used to treat insufficient blood supply to the heart (angina pectoris) and reduced pumping efficiency of the heart (heart failure)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: A group of drugs that relieve pain and reduce inflammation
Numbness: Numbness- the lack of sensation in a part of the body because of interruption of nerve impulses
Nystagmus: Nystagmus- persistent, rapid, involuntary movement of the eyes

Glossary