9781422279649

Words to Understand in This Chapter

chronic pain— pain that lasts for more than three months. drug dependence— a state that develops from repeated drug use, and which

results in withdrawal symptoms if the drug use ends. nephropathy— kidney disease or damage to the kidneys.

palliative care— medical care for a serious or life-threatening illness. semisynthetic— a natural material or compound that has been chemically altered in a laboratory. vascular dementia— a brain condition that leads to a number of symptoms, including memory loss, difficulty with thinking speed, language and con- trolling emotions. withdrawal— a syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symp- toms that occurs when an addicted person stops taking a drug.