| cold pressor test | A cardiocirculatory challenge conventionally performed by immersing one hand in ice cold water for two or more minutes (as tolerated) to acutely raise the blood pressure, thus imposing resistance to ejection of blood from the left ventricle into the systemic arterial system and consequently acutely increased afterload (afterload = increased left ventricular wall stress). Synonym: Hines-Brown test. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| pressor | <physiology> Causing, or giving rise to, pressure or to an increase of pressure; as, pressor nerve fibres, stimulation of which excites the vasomotor center, thus causing a stronger contraction of the arteries and consequently an increase of the arterial blood pressure. Compare: depressor. (05 Mar 1998) |
| pressor amine | One of several products of intestinal putrefaction believed to cause functional hypertension when absorbed, any alkaline substance that raises blood pressure. Synonym: pressor amine, pressor substance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pressor base | One of several products of intestinal putrefaction believed to cause functional hypertension when absorbed, any alkaline substance that raises blood pressure. Synonym: pressor amine, pressor substance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pressor fibres | Sensory nerve fibre's whose stimulation causes vasoconstriction and rise of blood pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pressor nerve | An afferent nerve, stimulation of which excites a reflex vasoconstriction, thereby raising the blood pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pressor substance | One of several products of intestinal putrefaction believed to cause functional hypertension when absorbed, any alkaline substance that raises blood pressure. Synonym: pressor amine, pressor substance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| paroxysmal cold haemoglobinuria | <haematology> A rare blood disorder caused by antibodies which destroy red blood cells upon exposure to the cold. The antibodies are formed against a specific blood group and are triggered by the cold. The cause is unknown but the disease has been associated with syphilis and some viral infections. Serum haemoglobin and urine haemoglobin are increased during the attacks. The disease is chronic and treatment is difficult. Some cases resolve spontaneously without treatment. Origin: Gr. Ouron = urine (27 Sep 1997) |
| rose cold | Allergic rhinitis occurring in the spring and early summer. (05 Mar 2000) |
| warm-cold haemolysin | Haemolysin which combines with red blood cells at temperatures below 20캜 and are eluted at warmer temperatures, e.g., 30 to 37캜. See: Donath-Landsteiner cold autoantibody, haemagglutinating cold autoantibody. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold | <virology> A slang term that describes a viral upper respiratory infection which results from inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity. (27 Sep 1997) |
| cold abscess | An abscess without heat or other usual signs of inflammation. Synonym: tuberculous abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutination | The agglutination of red blood cells by their own serum (see autoagglutination), or by any other serum when the blood is cooled below body temperature, but most pronounced below 25캜; the phenomenon results from cold agglutinins; may be seen occasionally in the blood of apparently normal persons or as a pathologic finding in patients with primary atypical pneumonia, infectious mononucleosis, and other viral diseases, certain protozoan infections, or lymphoproliferative neoplasms. See: autoagglutination. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold agglutination test | <investigation> A test for blood antibodies which are present in certain peculiar types of pneumonia (atypical pneumonia, Mycoplasma) (27 Sep 1997) |
| cold agglutinin | An antibody which reacts more efficiently at temperatures below 37캜. (05 Mar 2000) |