Select the meaning of the underlined word in the following sentence.In children with high fevers, the use of aspirin is contraindicated.
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A
Banned
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B
Inadvisable
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C
Anticipated
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D
Expedient
When aspirin is contraindicated in children with high fevers, its use is inadvisable, medically discouraged due to association with Reye's syndrome despite not being absolutely prohibited.
A) Banned
Banned denotes absolute legal prohibition, regulatory elimination rather than clinical guidance. Contraindication advises against use but doesn't legally forbid it; physicians may still prescribe with informed consent.
B) Inadvisable
Inadvisable precisely captures contraindication's essence: strong medical recommendation against use due to risk-benefit imbalance. Contraindicated (contra + indicare, "against indication") implies the intervention's risks outweigh benefits in specific contexts, exactly matching inadvisable's cautionary guidance.
C) Anticipated
Anticipation denotes expectation, foreseeing rather than discouraging. Contraindication actively discourages; anticipation neutrally predicts, opposite clinical stances.
D) Expedient
Expediency denotes practical advantage, utility rather than risk assessment. Contraindicated interventions lack expediency due to dangers, but expediency describes benefit, not prohibition.
Conclusion
Contraindication denotes strong medical discouragement due to unfavorable risk-benefit ratio, distinct from banning (prohibition), anticipation (expectation), or expediency (utility). Inadvisable alone captures contraindication's essential character: clinical guidance recommending against intervention without absolute prohibition.
Topic Flashcards
Click to FlipIf a patient has a severe allergy to penicillin, what term describes prescribing this drug for them?
It is contraindicated.
What does a doctor mean when they say a particular medication is 'contraindicated' during pregnancy?
The risks of taking the medication outweigh the potential benefits for the mother and fetus.
A procedure that should not be performed because a patient has a specific pre-existing condition has what status?
It is contraindicated for that patient.
Which word describes a situation where a treatment is not advised due to a specific patient factor, like another medication they are taking?
A contraindication.
In a medication guide, information listed under "Contraindications" tells a patient when they should definitely do what?
Avoid taking the drug.