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vaccination
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A method of protecting the body against disease by injecting parts or all of a microorganism that will cause the body to develop antibodies against the microorganism and later fight off disease.
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vacuum erection devices
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Various manual or battery-operated pumps that a man can use to draw blood into the penis to create an erection.
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vaginismus
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Spasms of the muscles around the vaginal opening that prevent penile penetration.
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valves
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Structures consisting of leaflets that divide the chambers of the heart and prevent the backflow of blood from one chamber to another during contraction of the heart.
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variant angina pectoris
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Also called Prinzmetal's angina, these are attacks of chest pain caused by spasms of one or more coronary arteries almost always while a person is at rest.
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vascular
-
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vascular dementia
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Dementia caused by narrowing or blockage of blood vessels in the brain or by a stroke or series of tiny strokes. Also called multi-infarct dementia.
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vascular surgery
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vasculitis
-
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vasectomy
-
An operation that ties off or cuts the tubes through which sperm travel from the testicles to the
urethra; used as a form of birth control.
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vasoconstrictor
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A substance or condition, such as drugs, cold, fear, and nicotine, that causes
blood vessels to narrow and thus de?creases the flow of blood.
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vasoconstrictors
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Substances that constrict blood vessels.
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vasodilation
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A widening of the
blood vessels that results in increased blood flow.
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vasodilator
-
A substance or condition that causes
blood vessels to open wider and increase the flow of blood.
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vasodilators
-
Substances that widen blood vessels.
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vasospasm
-
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vector
-
An animal or insect that transmits an infectious disease from a
reservoir to a susceptible
host.
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vein
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A vessel that carries blood back to the heart.
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venous
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Related health topics:
Chemotherapy,
Coronary Artery Disease,
Eczema,
End-Stage Renal Disease,
Gallbladder and bile duct cancer,
Heart Failure,
Hemorrhagic Stroke ,
Kidney Cancer,
Lung Cancer Overview,
Peripheral Arterial Disease ,
Retinopathy,
Small Cell Lung Cancer,
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
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venous leak
-
Seepage of blood out of a
vein.
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ventilator
-
Machine that inflates the lungs with oxygen.
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ventricle
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One of the two lower chambers of the heart. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs; the left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body.
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ventricular arrhythmia
-
Abnormal heart rhythm that starts in the lower chambers of the heart; this rhythm disturbance can occur as a complication of a
heart attack and impairs the heart's pumping ability.
-
ventricular fibrillation
-
A deadly heart rhythm in which the ventricles contract independently of the atria and in a chaotic manner.
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ventricular myocardium
-
Heart muscle that makes up the lower chambers of the heart.
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ventricular rupture
-
Break in the heart muscle that allows blood to escape into the pericardial sac.
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ventricular septal defect (VSD)
-
One or more holes in the
septum, the muscular wall separating the right and left sides of the heart.
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ventricular tachycardia
-
A very fast heartbeat that starts in the ventricles. Ventricular tachycardia can be deadly if it renders the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body.
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venules
-
Small veins.
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vertebra
-
One of the cylindrical bones that form the spine (plural: vertebrae).
-
vertebrae
-
The bones that form the spine.
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vertebral artery
-
One of two
blood vessels that run up the back of the neck and join at the base of the skull to form the
basilar artery. The vertebral arteries carry blood from the heart to the brain.
-
vertebroplasty
-
A minimally invasive procedure to stabilize compressed
vertebrae and alleviate pain. A needle is inserted into the compressed portion of a vertebra and surgical cement is injected to support the vertebra and prevent further collapse.
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vertigo
-
Dizziness; often a spinning sensation or a feeling that the ground is tilting.
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very low-calorie diet
-
A weight-loss diet that allows 800 or fewer
caloriesper day (usually followed under medical supervision).
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very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)
-
-
vestibular system
-
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viral
-
Pertaining to or caused by a virus.
-
virtues
-
Core characteristics that are universally valued by philosophers and religions across time and cultures, such as wisdom and courage.
-
virulent
-
A disease or condition that is highly infectious or dangerous or rapidly progressing.
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viscera
-
The internal organs, especially those found in the abdomen.
-
visceral fat
-
Fat that lies beneath the abdominal wall, in the spaces surrounding the liver, intestines, and other organs. Sometimes called belly fat or abdominal adiposity.
-
visual acuity
-
The eye's ability to see sharply, usually measured in comparison to what a normal eye would see from 20 feet. Problems in visual acuity can usually be corrected with eyeglasses.
-
visual cortex
-
The part of the
occipital lobe in the brain that processes visual stimuli.
-
visual field
-
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visualized laser-assisted prostatectomy (VLAP)
-
-
vital signs
-
Measurements that indicate how well the body is functioning, including pulse rate,
respiration (breathing rate), temperature, and
blood pressure.
-
vitamin D
-
A
hormone that plays a key role in ensuring the absorption of
calcium from the intestines.
-
vitrectomy
-
A microsurgical procedure in which part of the
vitreous humor of the eye is removed and then replaced with sterile
saline or some other fluid.
-
vitreous humor
-
The clear, gel-like substance that fills the space behind the lens of the eye and supports the shape of the rear portion of the eye.
