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heart, in anatomy

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Cross section of heart, with arrows indicating direction of blood flow heart, muscular organ that pumps blood to all parts of the body. The rhythmic beating of the heart is a ceaseless activit...

Furies

(Encyclopedia)Furies or Erinyes ērĭnˈē-ēz [key], in Greek and Roman religion and mythology, three daughters of Mother Earth, conceived from the blood of Uranus, when Kronos castrated him. They were powerful di...

calcium-channel blocker

(Encyclopedia)calcium-channel blocker, any of a class of drugs used in treating hypertension, angina pectoris, and certain arrhythmias. They prevent the calcium ions needed for muscle contraction from entering the ...

aorta

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Aorta aorta āôrˈtə [key], primary artery of the circulatory system in mammals, delivering oxygenated blood to all other arteries except those of the lungs. The human aorta, c.1 in. (2.54 c...

anticoagulant

(Encyclopedia)anticoagulant ănˌtēkōăgˈyələnt [key], any of several substances that inhibit blood clot formation (see blood clotting). Some anticoagulants, such as the coumarin derivatives bishydroxycoumarin...

pulse, in anatomy

(Encyclopedia)pulse, alternate expansion and contraction of artery walls as heart action varies blood volume within the arteries. Artery walls are elastic. Hence they become distended by increased blood volume duri...

hemoglobin

(Encyclopedia)hemoglobin hēˈməglōˌbĭn [key], respiratory protein found in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) of all vertebrates and some invertebrates. A hemoglobin molecule is composed of a protein group, kn...

hypertension

(Encyclopedia)hypertension or high blood pressure, elevated blood pressure resulting from an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart or from increased resistance to the flow of blood through the small a...

Heiligenblut

(Encyclopedia)Heiligenblut hīˌlĭgənblo͞otˈ [key] [Ger.,=holy blood], village, Carinthia prov., SW Austria, at the foot of the Grossglockner. It is a winter sports and mountain-climbing center. Heiligenblut is...

cyanosis

(Encyclopedia)cyanosis sīˌənōˈsĭs [key], bluish coloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and nailbeds, resulting from a lack of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood. It is a symptom of many disorders, includin...