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geriatrics

 
Dictionary: ger·i·at·rics   (jĕr'ē-ăt'rĭks) pronunciation
Home > Library > Literature & Language > Dictionary
n. (used with a sing. verb)
The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and problems specific to the aged.

[Greek gēras, old age + -IATRICS.]


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Dental Dictionary: geriatrics
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Home > Library > Health > Dental Dictionary
(jer′ē-at′riks)
n

The department of medicine or dentistry that treats health problems peculiar to advanced age and the aging, including the clinical problems of senescence and senility.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: geriatrics
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Columbia Encyclopedia
geriatrics (jĕrēă'trĭks), the branch of medicine concerned with conditions and diseases of the aged. Many disabilities in old age are caused by or related to the deterioration of the circulatory system (see arteriosclerosis), e.g., mental deterioration and disturbances of motor and sensory function are often associated with an insufficient blood supply. Older persons are more prone to gastrointestinal disturbances, partly because of a reduced blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract and partly for other reasons, such as poor dentition. Changes in bone tissue, primarily osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, create susceptibility to fractures. There may also be diminished pulmonary function due to degenerative changes in the lungs. Elderly males may suffer from prostatic enlargement (see prostate gland), often accompanied by urinary obstruction. Obesity, causing increased strain on the heart and blood vessels, is also a serious problem of the aged.

The exact cause of aging is unknown, but genetic factors are known to influence longevity. Moreover, it is believed that highly reactive substances called free radicals can cause cumulative damage to body cells and tissues, and that aging cells are more susceptible to malignant changes. These factors have made geriatrics an important specialty, particularly since the proportion of elderly persons in the population is increasing steadily. Geriatrics is one of the fields included in the general study of old age, or gerontology, which covers psychological, economic, and social factors as well. Both public and private institutions are spending large sums of money for research in geriatrics and gerontology.

Bibliography

See R. Andres et al., ed., Principles of Geriatric Medicine (1985); W. Cunningham and J. Brookbank, Gerontology (1987); L. Hayflick, How and Why We Age (1994); J. Carter, The Virtues of Aging (1998).

Veterinary Dictionary: geriatrics
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Home > Library > Animal Life > Veterinary Dictionary

The branch of medicine dealing with the problems of aging and diseases of the older animal; usually dealing with companion animals.

Translations: Geriatrics
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - geriatri

Nederlands (Dutch)
geriatrie

Français (French)
n. - gériatrie

Deutsch (German)
n. - Geriatrie, Altersheilkunde

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. pl. - (ιατρ.) γηριατρική

Italiano (Italian)
geriatria

Português (Portuguese)
n. pl. - geriatria (f)

Русский (Russian)
гериатрия

Español (Spanish)
n. - geriatría

Svenska (Swedish)
n. pl. - geriatrik (med.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
老人医学

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. pl. - 老人醫學
n. - 老人醫學

한국어 (Korean)
n. pl. - 노인병학
n. - 노인병 치료법

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 老年医学, 老人医学

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الجمع) طب الشيخوخه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רפואת הזקנה, גריאטריה‬

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more