C2 · 58 words
Medicines and trials in Italian
Active substance, therapeutic window, the state of the evidence — and what a number actually says.
Practise this list
From these 58 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The fortieth entry is l’efficacia sperimentale, and it sits exactly where English keeps two nouns and Italian keeps one. « Efficacy » is what a medicine does under trial conditions: patients chosen against a list, tablets counted, a protocol somebody is paid to follow. « Effectiveness » is what the same medicine does in a surgery, where the patient is older than anybody in the trial, takes four other things and stops in the third month. The two words are not stylistic variants. A regulator reads them as different quantities, and a sentence that swaps one for the other claims something the data never showed. Italian has the single noun l’efficacia and pins the sense with whatever follows it: l’efficacia sperimentale for the first, l’efficacia nella pratica clinica for the second, and a bare l’efficacia for neither in particular. So the traffic runs badly in both directions. Going into Italian, the adjective that the English noun carried inside it has to be said out loud; coming out, the reader has to decide which of the two English words a sentence without an adjective was entitled to.
The words
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Adjective (6)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands
oraleoral, taken by mouthAdjectiveC2
La via orale è la più semplice per chi sta a casa.The oral route is the simplest for someone staying at home.
endovenosointravenousAdjectiveC2
La terapia endovenosa richiede una vena aperta.Intravenous treatment requires an open vein.
sottocutaneosubcutaneousAdjectiveC2
L’iniezione sottocutanea si impara in mezz’ora.The subcutaneous injection is learnt in half an hour.
topicotopicalAdjectiveC2
Il preparato topico resta sulla pelle.The topical preparation stays on the skin.
inalatorioinhaledAdjectiveC2
La terapia inalatoria arriva subito nei bronchi.Inhaled treatment reaches the bronchi at once.
randomizzatorandomisedAdjectiveC2
Il gruppo randomizzato riceve il preparato vero.The randomised group receives the real preparation.
Phrase (4)
fuori indicazioneoff-labelPhraseC2
Il farmaco è stato usato fuori indicazione e messo a verbale.The medicine was used off-label and put on record.
con obbligo di ricettaon prescription onlyPhraseC2
Questo preparato resta con obbligo di ricetta.This preparation remains available on prescription only.
in doppio ciecodouble-blindPhraseC2
Lo studio è stato condotto in doppio cieco.The study was carried out double-blind.
in apertoopen-labelPhraseC2
La seconda parte è proseguita in aperto.The second part continued open-label.
Noun (f) (28)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
la sostanza attivathe active substanceNoun (f)C2
Sulla scatola la sostanza attiva è stampata sotto il nome.On the box the active substance is printed under the name.
la scadenza brevettualethe patent expiryNoun (f)C2
Dopo la scadenza brevettuale il prezzo crolla in poche settimane.After patent expiry the price collapses within a few weeks.
l’emivita di eliminazionethe elimination half-lifeNoun (f)C2
L’emivita di eliminazione decide ogni quante ore si ripete.The elimination half-life decides the interval between two doses.
l’eliminazione renalethe renal eliminationNoun (f)C2
Con l’eliminazione renale ridotta la dose va abbassata.With reduced renal elimination the dose has to come down.
la finestra terapeuticathe therapeutic windowNoun (f)C2
Fuori dalla finestra terapeutica il farmaco non aiuta più.Outside the therapeutic window the medicine no longer helps.
la dose di caricothe loading doseNoun (f)C2
La dose di carico serve solo il primo giorno.The loading dose is needed only on the first day.
la dose di mantenimentothe maintenance doseNoun (f)C2
Poi si passa alla dose di mantenimento.Then one moves on to the maintenance dose.
la titolazione della dosethe dose titrationNoun (f)C2
La titolazione della dose dura alcune settimane.Dose titration takes a few weeks.
la relazione dose-rispostathe dose-response relationshipNoun (f)C2
La relazione dose-risposta non è mai una retta.The dose-response relationship is never a straight line.
la somministrazionethe administrationNoun (f)C2
La somministrazione avviene sempre alla stessa ora.Administration always takes place at the same hour.
l’avvertenza specialethe special warningNoun (f)C2
Le avvertenze speciali stanno in fondo al foglietto.The special warnings are at the bottom of the leaflet.
l’induzione enzimaticathe enzyme inductionNoun (f)C2
L’induzione enzimatica indebolisce l’altro farmaco.Enzyme induction weakens the other medicine.
la tolleranza farmacologicathe drug toleranceNoun (f)C2
Con la tolleranza farmacologica la stessa dose rende meno.With drug tolerance the same dose does less.
la politerapiathe use of many medicines at onceNoun (f)C2
La politerapia moltiplica le interazioni possibili.Taking many medicines at once multiplies the possible interactions.
la deprescrizionethe planned stopping of a medicineNoun (f)C2
La deprescrizione si fa per gradi e per iscritto.Planned stopping is done step by step and in writing.
la persistenza al trattamentothe persistence with treatmentNoun (f)C2
La persistenza al trattamento cala dopo il terzo mese.Persistence with treatment falls after the third month.
la non aderenzathe non-adherenceNoun (f)C2
La non aderenza spiega più fallimenti della dose sbagliata.Non-adherence explains more failures than the wrong dose.
la preparazione galenicathe preparation made up in the pharmacyNoun (f)C2
La preparazione galenica richiede il laboratorio interno.Making a preparation up in the pharmacy requires the in-house laboratory.
la segnalazione spontaneathe spontaneous reportNoun (f)C2
La segnalazione spontanea parte dal medico o dal paziente.A spontaneous report comes from the doctor or from the patient.
l’efficacia sperimentalethe efficacy under trial conditionsNoun (f)C2
L’efficacia sperimentale non promette lo stesso in ambulatorio.Efficacy under trial conditions does not promise the same in the surgery.
la potenza farmacologicathe potencyNoun (f)C2
Una potenza farmacologica alta non vuol dire un effetto maggiore.A high potency does not mean a greater effect.
la fase dello studiothe trial phaseNoun (f)C2
La fase dello studio decide quante persone partecipano.The trial phase decides how many people take part.
la fase di rodaggiothe run-in phaseNoun (f)C2
La fase di rodaggio elimina chi non tollera il preparato.The run-in phase weeds out anyone who does not tolerate the preparation.
la misura di esitothe outcome measureNoun (f)C2
La misura di esito va fissata prima di cominciare.The outcome measure has to be fixed before the start.
l’analisi per intenzione di trattamentothe intention-to-treat analysisNoun (f)C2
L’analisi per intenzione di trattamento tiene dentro anche chi ha smesso.The intention-to-treat analysis keeps in even those who stopped.
l’analisi per protocollothe per-protocol analysisNoun (f)C2
L’analisi per protocollo mostra sempre un risultato più bello.The per-protocol analysis always shows a nicer result.
la riduzione assoluta del rischiothe absolute risk reductionNoun (f)C2
La riduzione assoluta del rischio dice quanto resta in mano.The absolute risk reduction says what is left in hand.
la riduzione relativa del rischiothe relative risk reductionNoun (f)C2
La riduzione relativa del rischio suona sempre più grande.The relative risk reduction always sounds bigger.
Noun (m) (20)
Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno
l’adiuvantethe adjuvantNoun (m)C2
L’adiuvante rafforza la risposta senza agire da solo.The adjuvant strengthens the response without acting on its own.
il nome commercialethe brand nameNoun (m)C2
Lo stesso farmaco gira con quattro nomi commerciali.The same medicine circulates under four brand names.
il biosimilarethe biosimilarNoun (m)C2
Il biosimilare non è una copia esatta della molecola.The biosimilar is not an exact copy of the molecule.
l’assorbimentothe absorption into the bodyNoun (m)C2
L’assorbimento rallenta se lo si prende a stomaco pieno.Absorption slows down if it is taken on a full stomach.
l’effetto di primo passaggiothe first-pass effectNoun (m)C2
L’effetto di primo passaggio distrugge gran parte della dose.The first-pass effect destroys a large part of the dose.
il metabolismothe metabolismNoun (m)C2
Il metabolismo del farmaco cambia con l’età.The metabolism of the medicine changes with age.
l’indice terapeutico ristrettothe narrow therapeutic indexNoun (m)C2
Un indice terapeutico ristretto obbliga a controlli del sangue.A narrow therapeutic index forces blood checks.
il rilascio prolungatothe prolonged releaseNoun (m)C2
La compressa a rilascio prolungato non va spezzata.The prolonged-release tablet must not be broken.
l’evento avversothe adverse eventNoun (m)C2
Ogni evento avverso va scritto nella scheda del paziente.Every adverse event has to be written on the patient chart.
il termine di validitàthe expiry dateNoun (m)C2
Il termine di validità vale solo a confezione chiusa.The expiry date holds only for an unopened pack.
il bollino farmaceuticothe dispensing stickerNoun (m)C2
Il bollino farmaceutico viene staccato e incollato sulla ricetta.The dispensing sticker is peeled off and stuck on the prescription.
il ritiro dal commerciothe recall from the marketNoun (m)C2
Il ritiro dal commercio riguarda un solo lotto.The recall concerns a single batch.
il triangolo nerothe additional monitoring symbolNoun (m)C2
Il triangolo nero sul foglietto significa sorveglianza rafforzata.The additional monitoring symbol on the leaflet means reinforced surveillance.
il mascheramentothe blindingNoun (m)C2
Il mascheramento cade appena qualcuno riconosce la compressa.The blinding falls apart as soon as somebody recognises the tablet.
lo studio incrociatothe crossover trialNoun (m)C2
Nello studio incrociato ogni persona è il proprio confronto.In a crossover trial each person is their own comparison.
il periodo di washoutthe washout periodNoun (m)C2
Il periodo di washout separa i due trattamenti.The washout period separates the two treatments.
l’esito surrogatothe surrogate outcomeNoun (m)C2
Un esito surrogato è comodo da misurare e difficile da credere.A surrogate outcome is easy to measure and hard to believe.
l’abbandono dello studiothe dropout from the trialNoun (m)C2
L’abbandono dello studio va contato, non tolto.Dropping out of the trial has to be counted, not removed.
il numero necessario da trattarethe number needed to treatNoun (m)C2
Il numero necessario da trattare traduce la statistica in persone.The number needed to treat translates the statistics into people.
il comitato eticothe ethics committeeNoun (m)C2
Il comitato etico approva il protocollo prima del primo paziente.The ethics committee approves the protocol before the first patient.
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This list belongs to Health and medicine — 50 lists and 1 697 words that can also be practised as a whole.