(tol'ĕ-răns )

[L. tolerantia, patience]

1. The capacity to endure exposure to a large concentration or quantity of a substance (such as a drug, food, or poison).
2. A decreased sensitivity to a substance to which one has been previously or repeatedly exposed.

drug t.The progressive decrease in the effectiveness of a drug.

exercise t.The amount of physical activity that can be done under supervision before exhaustion.

glucose t.The ability of the body to absorb and use glucose.

SEE: oral glucose tolerance test.

immunological t.The state in which the immune system does not react to the body's own antigens. It is caused by the destruction of lymphocytes that express receptors to autoantigens as they develop. Failure of these mechanisms may result in autoimmune disease.

impaired glucose t.

ABBR: IGT

Altered glucose metabolism in which fasting blood sugars are less than 126 mg/dL, and blood sugar levels are over 140 mg/dL but less than 200 mg/dL 2 hr after after an oral glucose tolerance test. IGT was formerly called chemical diabetes (now disparaged).

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Having either impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose predisposes patients to diabetes mellitus, heart attack, stroke, and early death. Patients with abnormal glucose metabolism ought to receive professional dietary counseling. They should also begin a program of regular physical exercise.

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oral t.The suppression of autoimmune or allergic responses as a result of eating antigenic material.

pain t.The degree of pain an individual can withstand .

radiation t.The level below which tissue radiation exposure will be least harmful. Some organs are less tolerant to radiation than others.

risk t.The comfort level of a decision maker when faced with uncertainty, or the capacity of an institution to manage probabilities.

tissue t.The ability of specific tissues to withstand the effects of ionizing radiation.