Medical Dictionary: Glossary (N)

What is naloxone?

A drug that antagonizes morphine and other opiates. Naloxone is a pure opiate antagonist and prevents or reverses the effects of opioids including respiratory depression, sedation and hypotension.

What is nasogastric?

This is the passage from the nose to the stomach. Abbreviated NG.

What is natriuretic?

The excretion of an excessively large amount of sodium in the urine.

What is nausea?

Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, including systemic illnesses (such as influenza), medications, pain, and inner ear disease.

What is neonate?

A newborn baby, specifically a baby in the first 4 weeks after birth.

What is neurogenic?

Arising from the nerves or the nervous system. For example, neurogenic pain is pain that originates in the nerves, as opposed to muscle pain, bone pain, etc.

What is neurology?

The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system, which includes the brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves.

What is niacin?

Nicotinic acid, one of the B-complex vitamins-B 3. Deficiency of niacin in the diet results in the disease pellagra.

What is nicotine?

An alkaloid (a nitrogen-containing chemical) made by the tobacco plant or produced synthetically. Nicotine has powerful pharmacologic effects (including increased heart rate, heart stroke volume, and oxygen consumption by the heart muscle).