| blood pressure | <cardiology, physiology> The force that the circulating blood exerts on the walls of the arteries. This measurement is divided into systolic (pressure during contraction of the heart) and diastolic (pressure during relaxation phase). Blood pressure varies with age and sex of the individual. A rough rule of thumb for normal systolic pressure is 100 + Age of individual. In children 2 x (age) + 80 = systolic BP The diastolic pressure should be roughly 2/3 the systolic pressure. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| blood pressure determination | Techniques for measuring blood pressure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood pressure, high | High blood pressure (hypertension) is a repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. High blood pressure is also called the silent killer. Chronically high blood pressure can cause blood vessel changes in the back of the eye (retina), thickening of the heart muscle, kidney failure, and brain damage. No specific cause for high blood pressure is found in 95% of patients. High blood pressure is treated with salt restriction, regular aerobic exercise, and medications. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood pressure monitoring, ambulatory | Method in which prolonged blood pressure readings are made while the patient undergoes normal daily activities. It allows quantitative analysis of the high blood pressure load over time, can help distinguish between types of hypertension, and can assess the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| blood pressure monitors | Devices for continuously measuring and displaying the arterial blood pressure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| high blood pressure | <cardiology> Persistently high arterial blood pressure. Hypertension may have no known cause (essential or idiopathic hypertension) or be associated with other primary diseases (secondary hypertension). This condition is considered a risk factor for the development of heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, stroke and kidney disease. (29 Sep 1997) |
| systolic blood pressure | <cardiology, physiology> The pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries during the contraction phase of the heart. Considered abnormally elevated if consistently over 150 mmHg. Systolic blood pressure varies with age, sex, size and relative condition. (27 Sep 1997) |
| diastolic blood pressure | The pressure exerted on the walls of the arteries when the heart is in the relaxation phase (diastole). Considered abnormally elevated if consistently over 90 mmhg. (27 Sep 1997) |
| differential blood pressure | The arterial blood pressure at corresponding points on the two sides of the body. (05 Mar 2000) |
| automobile driver examination | Government required written and driving test given to individuals prior to obtaining an operator's license. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bone marrow examination | Removal of bone marrow and evaluation of its histologic picture. (12 Dec 1998) |
| breast self-examination | <procedure> A a regular, defined process of thorough examination of the breasts once a month to detect any changes or suspicious lumps. Exams should be practiced at the end of the period or seven days after the start of the period and be performed monthly at the same time. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Papanicolaou examination | Microscopic examination of cells collected from the cervix. It is used to detect changes that may be cancer or may lead to cancer, and it can show noncancerous conditions, such as infection or inflammation. Also called pap smear. (12 Dec 1998) |
| physical examination | Systematic and thorough inspection of the patient for physical signs of disease or abnormality. (12 Dec 1998) |
| postmortem examination | <procedure> A surgical procedure, postmortem, which involves the examination of body tissues, often to determine cause of death. (02 Jan 1998) |