Dyscrasia

Dyscrasia

Dyscrasia, is a concept from ancient Greek medicine with the word "dyskrasia", meaning bad mixture. [Aphorism 79 or Organon of Medicine by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann]

Ancient use

To the Greeks, it meant an imbalance of the four humors: blood, black bile, yellow bile, and water (phlegm). These humors were believed to exist in the body, and were the direct cause of all disease.

This is similar to the Asian concept of Yin and Yang that an imbalance of the two polarities caused ailment.

Modern use

It is still occasionally used in medical context for an unspecified disorder of the blood. Specifically it is defined in current medicine as a morbid general state resulting from the presence of abnormal material in the blood, usually applied to diseases affecting blood cells or platelets. [Stedman's medical dictionary, 6th edition]

Antimetabolitic agents such as Leucovorin, Methotrexate, etc. may cause blood dyscrasias. Spironolactone (Potassium sparing diuretic), when used as a pro-drug to treat Conn syndrome may cause this side effect. Antiarrythmic drugs such as Tocainide, Phenytoin, and Mexiletine, also causes blood dyscrasis.

References


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  • Dyscrasia — Dys*cra si*a, n. [NL. dyscrasia, fr. Gr. dyskrasi a; dys bad + kra^sis mixture, fr. keranny nai to mix: cf. F. dycrasie.] (Med.) An ill habit or state of the constitution; formerly regarded as dependent on a morbid condition of the blood and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dyscrasia — [dis krā′zhə, dis krā′zhē ə, dis krā′zē ə] n. [ModL < ML, distemper, disease < Gr dyskrasia, bad temperament < dys , DYS + krasis, a mixing < kerannynai, to mix: see IDIOSYNCRASY] an abnormal imbalance in some part of the body, esp.… …   English World dictionary

  • dyscrasia — noun an abnormal or physiologically unbalanced state of the body • Hypernyms: ↑ill health, ↑unhealthiness, ↑health problem • Hyponyms: ↑blood dyscrasia …   Useful english dictionary

  • dyscrasia — noun Etymology: New Latin, from Medieval Latin, bad mixture of humors, from Greek dyskrasia, from dys + krasis mixture, from kerannynai to mix more at crater Date: 14th century an abnormal condition of the body and especially the blood …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • dyscrasia — Illness as a result of abnormal material in the blood …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • dyscrasia — dyscrasial, dyscrasic /dis kraz ik, kras /, dyscratic, adj. /dis kray zheuh, zhee euh, zee euh/, n. Pathol. a malfunction or abnormal condition, esp. an imbalance of the constituents of the blood. [1350 1400; ME; < ML < Gk dyskrasía bad mixture,… …   Universalium

  • dyscrasia — noun An unspecified disorder resulting from the presence of abnormal material in the blood …   Wiktionary

  • dyscrasia — 1. A morbid general state resulting from the presence of abnormal material in the blood, usually applied to diseases affecting blood cells or platelets. 2. Old term indicating disease. [G. bad temperament, fr. dys + krasis, a mixing] …   Medical dictionary

  • dyscrasia — n. defect in the composition of the blood …   English contemporary dictionary

  • dyscrasia — [dɪs kreɪzɪə] noun Medicine an abnormal or disordered physiological state. Derivatives dyscrasic adjective Origin ME: via late L. from Gk duskrasia bad combination …   English new terms dictionary

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