Show All Definitions
Hypoxia
Deprivation of an adequate oxygen supply to an organ, tissue or whole body.
Anoxia
Complete deprivation of oxygen (i.e. maximal hypoxia).
Ischemia
A restriction in blood supply to an organ or tissue, resulting in an inadequate supply of oxygen, glucose, etc. It is a
cause
of hypoxia. It can result from an obstruction of blood flow (thrombosis, embolism) or a general decrease in flow (e.g. hypoperfusion due to heart failure).
Hypoxemia
Decreased partial pressure of oxygen in the blood, often due to inadequate ventilation (e.g. lung disease) or decreased in environmental oxygen (e.g. altitude sickness). It is a
cause
of hypoxia.
Anemia
Decreased hemoglobin in the blood resulting in hypoxia but NOT hypoxemia.
Hypoperfusion
Decreased blood flow through an organ as a result of hypovolemia (e.g. due to significant blood loss) or hypotension (e.g. due to cardiac dysfunction.
Hypercoagulability / Thrombophilia
Alterations in the coagulation pathways that leads to thrombosis. There are both primary (genetic) and secondary (acquired) types.
Thrombus / Thrombosis
An accumulation of polymerized
fibrin and platelet aggregates in a blood vessel, resulting from the inappropriate activation of the hemostatic pathway (due to endothelial injury, abnormal blood flow, and/or hypercoagulability).
Embolus / Embolism
Disruption of blood flow by a mass that has travelled from another part of the body and lodged in a vessel. The mass may be solid (e.g. a thrombus), liquid (e.g. amniotic fluid), or gaseous (e.g. air).
Liquefactive necrosis
Complete autolysis of necrotic debris resulting in a liquid, viscous mass. Occurs in skin (a.k.a pus) and in the central nervous system (for unknown reasons).
Consumptive coagulopathy
A hypocoagulable state brought on by the consumption of clotting factors and platelets due to runaway microthrombosis.
