Heroic measure

Heroic measure

In medicine, heroic refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a last resort with the understanding that any lesser treatment will surely result in failure. ["The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary", 2nd Edition, 2004, Houghton Mifflin Company]

Heroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include emergency trauma surgery conducted outside the operating room (such as "on-scene" surgical amputation, cricothyroidotomy, or thoracotomy), or administration of medication (such as certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal side effects. [ "Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary", 3rd Edition, Merriam-Webster, Inc.] ["Heroic Measures", Dr. Charles Bardes M.D, AGNI Online Essays, [http://www.bu.edu/agni/essays-reviews/online/2006/bardes-heroicmeasures.html] ]

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a particularly well-known heroic measure; vigorous chest compressions often result in fracturing one or more of the patient's ribs, but since the alternative is certain death, the technique is accepted as necessary.

References


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  • ἡρῷ' — ἡρῷα , ἡρῷον shrine of a hero neut nom/voc/acc pl ἡρῷα , ἡρῷος the heroic measure neut nom/voc/acc pl ἡρῷε , ἡρῷος the heroic measure masc voc sg ἡρῷαι , ἡρῷος the heroic measure fem nom/voc pl …   Greek morphological index (Ελληνική μορφολογικούς δείκτες)

  • θἠρῷον — ἡρῷον , ἡρῷον shrine of a hero neut nom/voc/acc sg ἡρῷον , ἡρῷος the heroic measure masc acc sg ἡρῷον , ἡρῷος the heroic measure neut nom/voc/acc sg …   Greek morphological index (Ελληνική μορφολογικούς δείκτες)

  • ἡρῴα — ἡρῴᾱ , ἡρώιος fem nom/voc/acc dual ἡρῴᾱ , ἡρώιος fem nom/voc sg (doric aeolic) ἡρώϊα , ἡρῷον shrine of a hero neut nom/voc/acc pl (ionic) ἡρῴ̱ᾱ , ἡρῷος the heroic measure fem nom/voc/acc dual ἡρῴ̱ᾱ , ἡρῷος the heroic measure fem nom/voc sg… …   Greek morphological index (Ελληνική μορφολογικούς δείκτες)

  • ἡρῴων — ἡρώιος fem gen pl ἡρώιος masc/neut gen pl ἡρῷον shrine of a hero neut gen pl ἡρῴ̱ων , ἡρῷος the heroic measure fem gen pl ἡρῴ̱ων , ἡρῷος the heroic measure masc/neut gen pl …   Greek morphological index (Ελληνική μορφολογικούς δείκτες)

  • ἡρῶιον — ἡρῷον , ἡρῷος the heroic measure masc acc sg ἡρῷον , ἡρῷος the heroic measure neut nom/voc/acc sg …   Greek morphological index (Ελληνική μορφολογικούς δείκτες)

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