Resistance

The ability to oppose. In medicine, it has several different meanings. A resistance to the flow of blood is exerted by the blood vessel walls. Increased resistance leads to raised blood pressure. In psychoanalysis, resistance refers to the blocking off from consciousness of repressed memories or emotions. Resistance may also refer to an ability to withstand attack from poisons, irritants, or microorganisms. A person’s resistance to infection is called immunity. The term drug resistance refers to the ability of some microorganisms to withstand attack from previously effective drug treatments.