crisis (kri's is). 1

Any decisive occurrence in the course of a disease or of physiological life, such as the supposed turning point of a fever, the advent of puberty, or of the menopause, etc., whether of salutary or of unfavorable import. 2. A paroyxsm, usually accompanied with pain, of a certain set of symptoms in the course of a chronic disease, particularly of the nervous system. In this sense the word has been used chiefly by the French writers, cardiac c. A c. (2d def.) manifested by cardiac distre or disordered action of the heart. Dietl's c. See nephritic c. hepatic c. A paroxysm of hepatic colic. nephritic c. A paroxysm of pain, having the character of an attack of renal colic, occurring (rarely) in tabes dorsal is and also in other conditions, as movable kidney.