Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

Cushing’s syndrome
A constellation of symp-
toms and signs caused by an excess of cortisol hor-
mone. Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal condition
that affects many areas of the body. Common symp-
toms are thinning of the skin; weakness; weight
gain; bruising; hypertension; diabetes; thin, weak
bones (osteoporosis); facial puffiness; and, in
women, cessation of menstrual periods. One of the
most common causes of Cushing’s syndrome is the
administration of cortisol-like medications for the
treatment of diverse diseases. All other cases of
Cushing’s syndrome are due to the excess produc-
tion of cortisol by the adrenal gland.
cusp 1
In reference to a heart valve, a triangular
segment of the valve, which opens and closes with
the flow of blood.
2
In reference to teeth, a raised
area of the biting surface.
cut
An area of severed skin. It is important to
wash a cut with soap and water, and keep it clean
and dry, but avoid putting alcohol, hydrogen perox-
ide, or iodine into a cut, which can delay healing.
Delay in getting medical care can increase the rate
of wound infection. If a cut results from a puncture
wound through a shoe, there is a high risk of infec-
tion. Redness, swelling, increased pain, and pus
draining from the wound also indicate an infection
that requires professional care.
cutaneous
Related to the skin.
cutaneous papilloma
See 
skin tag.
cutaneous syndactyly
See 
syndactyly, cuta-
neous.
cutis anserina
See 
goose bumps.
CVS
Chorionic villus sampling.
cyanosis
A bluish color of the skin and the
mucous membranes due to insufficient oxygen in
the blood. For example, the lips can develop
cynanosis when exposed to extreme cold. Cyanosis
can be present at birth, as in a “blue baby,” an infant
with a malformation of the heart that permits into
the arterial system blood that is not fully oxygenated.