drug tolerance

tolerance

 [tol´er-ans]

1. the ability to bear something potentially difficult.

2. the ability to endure unusually large doses of a poison or toxin.

3. drug tolerance. adj., adj tol´erant.

acquired drug tolerance drug tolerance.

ambiguity tolerance the ability to withstand conflicting or complex situations without undue psychological stress.

drug tolerance a decreasing response to repeated constant doses of a drug or the need for increasing doses to maintain a constant response. See also drug dependence and habituation.

immunologic tolerance specific nonreactivity of lymphoid tissues to a particular antigen capable under other conditions of inducing immunity.

standing tolerance the amount of time an individual is capable of maintaining an erect, upright position.

tolerance test

1. an exercise test to determine the efficiency of the circulation.

2. a test to determine the body's ability to metabolize a substance or to endure administration of a drug.

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

drug tolerance

Psychiatry Repeated use of some substance or drug, often narcotics, so that ever larger doses are required to produce the same physiologic and/or psychologic effect obtained previously by a smaller dose.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

drug tolerance

A progressive reduction in the effect of a drug, following repeated exposure to it, so that it no longer has the desired effect in the original dose.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005