Word: Malignant Hyperthermia
Definition:
Malignant hyperthermia is a serious medical condition that can happen during surgery. It is a hereditary condition, which means it can run in families. When someone with malignant hyperthermia is given certain types of anesthetics (medicines that make you sleep during surgery, like halothane), their body can react badly. This reaction causes very high body temperatures and stiffness in the muscles.
Usage Instructions:
- Use "malignant hyperthermia" when talking about this specific medical condition, especially in the context of surgery or anesthesia. - It is important to use this term in medical discussions, as it is a technical term.
Example Sentence:
"The doctors had to be very careful when administering anesthesia to the patient because he had a history of malignant hyperthermia in his family."
Advanced Usage:
In advanced discussions, you might mention that malignant hyperthermia can be triggered by specific medications and that it requires immediate medical attention to treat. You could say, "The anesthesiologist was prepared with a dantrolene kit, as malignant hyperthermia can escalate quickly if not treated."
Word Variants:
- Malignant: This means harmful or dangerous. - Hyperthermia: This refers to an abnormally high body temperature.
Different Meaning:
While "malignant" generally refers to something harmful (often used in cancer), and "hyperthermia" refers to high body temperature, together they specifically denote this medical condition.
Synonyms:
There are no direct synonyms for "malignant hyperthermia," but related terms could include "anesthesia reaction" or "muscle rigidity syndrome."
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
There are no idioms or phrasal verbs directly associated with "malignant hyperthermia," as it is a specialized medical term.
Summary:
Malignant hyperthermia is a dangerous condition triggered by certain anesthetics, leading to high body temperatures and muscle stiffness.