Ontario Public Drug Programs
Glossary – A
This glossary provides brief explanations of terms used in the Ontario Public Drug Programs web pages. To access a term definition, select the appropriate letter from the alphabet below.
| Acute indication/disease | Acute describes the sudden onset of a disease or an illness that is of short duration, progresses rapidly, and requires urgent care. |
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| Adjuvant | Adjuvant treatment is given as an adjunct, or in addition to, the primary treatment, to help reach the ultimate goal. In cancer treatment, adjuvant usually refers to the use of chemotherapy drugs following surgery to help decrease the risk of cancer recurring. |
| Adverse reaction | A negative, unwanted effect that the administration of drugs may cause. An adverse reaction may occur suddenly or develop over time |
| Ambulatory | Able to walk, as in the case of an outpatient rather than a bed-ridden or hospitalized patient. |
| Arm | Refers to any of several treatment groups in a randomized clinical trial. Most randomized clinical trials have two treatment groups, or arms, but some have three or more. |
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