prophylaxis (prevention, ppx)

Introduction

Treatments aimed at preventing disease.

ppx is a commonly used acronym found in medical notes.

For general health prophylaxis, see health maintenance.

Includes prophylaxis for:

• deep vein thrombosis
• migraine headache
• cluster headache
• malaria
• transient ischemic attack
• myocardial infarction
• stroke
• asthma
• meningitis
• tuberculosis
• Pneumocystis carinii
• Herpes simplex
• human immunodeficiency virus
• hepatitis B virus
• seizure
• Cryptococcus neoformans
• Loa loa
• Traveler's diarrhea
• stress ulceration

More general terms

• clinical procedure

More specific terms

• angina pectoris prophylaxis
• antibiotic prophylaxis
• chemoprophylaxis
• GI prophylaxis
• prevention of cancer
• prevention of cognitive impairment
• prevention of delirium
• prevention of falls
• prevention of fecal & urinary incontinence
• prevention of fractures
• prevention of heart failure
• prevention of HIV
• prevention of hypertension
• prevention of neural tube defect
• primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
• prophylactic orthopedic surgery
• prophylaxis after needle stick; prophylaxis for blood-borne infection
• prophylaxis for thromboembolism
• prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE)
• prophylaxis of retinal detachment
• secondary prevention in patients with cardiovascular disease

Additional terms

• health maintenance (preventive medicine)
• PREVENT trial
• Prevention of REStinosis with Tranilast & its Outcomes (PRESTO) trial
• Prevention of Syncope Trial (POST)
• screening
• United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)