ischaemia
Noun: A medical condition characterized by an inadequate blood supply to a specific, localized part of the body. This deficiency in blood flow, and therefore oxygen, can result from the constriction or blockage of blood vessels, such as through vasoconstriction, thrombosis (a blood clot forming in a vessel), or embolism (a clot or other material traveling through the bloodstream and lodging in a vessel).
Ischaemia is a technical medical term used to describe the state of reduced blood perfusion to tissues. It is a critical concept in medicine, as prolonged ischaemia can lead to tissue damage or cell death (necrosis).
- The patient was diagnosed with myocardial ischaemia, indicating a reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.
- The surgeon was concerned about the risk of cerebral ischaemia during the complex procedure.
- Peripheral artery disease can cause ischaemia in the legs, leading to pain when walking.
- Ischaemic cascade: Refers to the series of biochemical events that occur in brain tissue after the onset of ischaemia, leading to cell damage.
- Ischaemic preconditioning: A phenomenon where brief, non-lethal episodes of ischaemia protect an organ (like the heart) against a subsequent, more severe ischaemic injury.
- Ischemia: The American English spelling of the word.
- Ischaemic (adj.): Pertaining to or affected by ischaemia.
- An ischaemic stroke is caused by a blocked artery in the brain.
- Ischaemic heart disease: A condition involving reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Local anemia
- Hypoperfusion (more general term for reduced blood flow)
The term ischaemia is specific to medical and biological contexts. It does not have common non-technical meanings or idiomatic uses. The core concept is always the localized restriction of blood supply.
- local anemia in a given body part sometimes resulting from vasoconstriction or thrombosis or embolism