PKU Nursing Abbreviation

Phenylketonuria

A human disease caused by a genetic deficiency in the enzyme that converts phenylalanine to tyrosineThe immediate cause of the disease is an excess of phenylalanine, which can be alleviated by a diet low in phenylalanine. A disease caused by the inability to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine, which results in excess phenylalanine and its secondary metabolites; the disease is characterized by severe retardation.