- P -
Percocet: A prescription pain reliever
containing oxycodone and acetaminophen. Classified
in the same category as Oxycontin, Percocet contains
no more than 5mg of oxycodone.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma: A type of cancer
found in people who have been exposed to asbestos.
Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the peritoneum, a
sac lining the abdomen, and has no known cure.
Prescription Error: A form of medical
malpractice that occurs when a patient does not
receive the appropriate medication, at the right
dose, at the right time. A Florida prescription
error can often cause harm to a patient, and in some
circumstances, can even lead to death. A Florida
prescription error is considered medical malpractice
when a medical professional's negligence or mistake
led to patient harm.
Physical Dependence: A physiological need
for a substance, the absence of which leads to
withdrawal. Physical dependence is distinguishable
from addiction in that addiction also involves
mental fixation.
Physical therapy: Therapy designed to
improve mobility and keep muscles stretched.
Plaintiff: The party who initiates a legal
action; in a personal injury lawsuit, the person who
alleges that he or she has suffered monetary damages
due the negligence of another party.
Pleadings: Written documents stating the
allegations and claims of the opposing parties in a
legal dispute.
Pleural mesothelioma: A type of cancer
found in people who have been exposed to asbestos.
Occurs in the pleura, a sac lining the lungs, and
has no known cure.
PPA: Short for Phenylpropanolamine, a drug
which was used in many over-the-counter cold
medicines and weight loss drugs. The FDA issued a
recall of PPA after a study linked it to a higher
risk of hemhorragic stroke.
Prempro: A type of hormone replacement
therapy that combines estrogen and progestin. A
study that sought to determine the effectiveness of
long-term Prempro® use was halted when researchers
discovered that it led to an increased risk of
breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots.
Preponderance of evidence: The relative
weight, credit and value of the evidence presented
by adversaries in a trial. In a civil trial, the
jury is charged with reaching a verdict based on
this standard, as opposed to the "reasonable
doubt" standard in a criminal trial.
Professional Services: Services for which
a person is licensed, trained and qualified to
perform in the capacity of a healthcare provider.
Propulsid: A prescription heartburn
medication used to relieve the symptoms of nighttime
heartburn associated with gastroesophageal reflux
disease. Propulsid was recalled by the FDA after a
report linked it to heart rhythm abnormalities and
some deaths.
