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Medical Dictionary - Letter: v

Term	Definition	Pronunciation
V	volt
V/Q	ventilation/perfusion
VA	visual acuity
vacc	vaccination
vaccination	Administration of vaccines to stimulate the host's immune response.
vaccine	A suspension of killed or attenuated microorganisms administered for the prevention or treatment of infection.
VAD	venous assist device
vag/o	vagus nerve
vagin/o	vagina
vagina	An muscular tube connecting the cervix of the uterus to the vulva and exterior of the body.	vah-ji´nah
vaginal	Pertaining to the vagina.
vaginitis	Inflammation of the vagina marked by pain and a purulent discharge.
vagus nerve	The tenth cranial nerve.
valsalva maneuver	Forced expiratory effort against a closed windpipe, impeding the return of venous blood to the heart.	vahl-sahl'vă
valv/o	valve
varic/o	varices (swollen veins)
varicella	Primary infection causes chickenpox; reactivation causes herpes zoster.	var″ĭ-sel´ah
varicocele	Abnormal enlargement of the veins of the spermatic cord.	var´ĭ-ko-sēl″
varicose veins	Enlarged, twisted veins.	var´ĭ-kōs
vas/o	vessel
vascul/o	blood vessel
vascular	Pertaining to blood vessels.
vasculitis	Inflammation of a blood vessel.	vas″ku-li´tis
vasectomy	Surgical removal of the ductus deferens usually as a means of sterilization.
vasoconstriction	Narrowing of blood vessels.
vasoconstrictor	Drugs used to cause constriction of the blood vessels.	vaso-kon-strik´ter
vasodilation	Widening of blood vessels.
vasodilator	Drugs used to cause dilation of the blood vessels.	vas″o-di-la´tor
vasovasostomy	A surgical procedure in which the effects of a vasectomy (male sterilization) are reversed.	vas″o-vah-sos´tah-me
VC	vital capacity
VCT	venous clotting time=
VD	venereal disease
vector	An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that spreads disease from one host to another.
veins	The vessels carrying blood away from the capillary beds.
ven/o	vein
venae cavae	The two venous trunks which returns blood to the heart. Inferior venae cavae receives blood from the lower body while superior venae cavae returns blood from the upper body..
venere/o	sexual intercourse
venoms	Poisonous animal secretions forming fluid mixtures of many different enzymes, toxins, and other substances.
venous insufficiency	Impaired venous blood flow or venous return (venous stasis), usually caused by inadequate venous valves. Venous insufficiency often occurs in the legs.
venous thrombosis	The formation or presence of a blood clot within a vein.
ventilators	Mechanical devices used to assist respiration.
ventr/o	front, belly side
ventral	Pertaining to the belly or front of the body.
ventricles	The two large heart chambers that receive blood from the atria and pump it out to the systemic and pulmonary circulatory systems.	ven´trĭ-k'lz
ventricul/o	ventricle
ventricular fibrillation	The uncoordinated, rapid firing of electrical impulses (400-600/min) in the ventricles. This ventricular quivering prevents cardiac output. Can results in unconsciousness and death if not immediately treated.	ven-trik´u-ler
ventricular flutter	Rapid, unstable ventricular tachycardia (150-300 beats/min) with a large sine-wave appearance. If untreated, ventricular flutter typically progresses to ventricular fibrillation.	ven-trik´u-ler
ventricular tachycardia	Fast but regular heart rhythm originating in the ventricles. Often caused by heart disease, but may also occur in young people. Some medications and nonprescription decongestants can trigger ventricular tachycardia.	ven-trik´u-ler
venul/o	venule (small vein in lungs)
verm/i	worm, wormlike
verrucae	Plantar warts that commonly occur on the soles of the feet or around the toe area.
vertebrae	The bones or segments composing the spinal column,	ver'te-bra
vertebrate	An animal with a spinal cord surrounded by cartilage or bone
vertigo	A feeling of dizziness and disorientation.	ver´tĭ-go
vesic/o	bladder, blister
vesicul/o	vesicle
vestibul/o	vestibule
vestiges	A trace of something, usually a nonfunctioning structure or a behavior, that is a remnant of our evolutionary history.
vestigial	Pertaining to vestiges.
VF	ventricular fibrillation
Vf (2)	field of vision
Vfib	ventricular fibrillation
vipoma	An endocrine tumor that secretes vasoactive intestinal peptide, that causes vasodilation, relaxation of smooth muscles, watery diarrhea, hypokalemia and hypochlorhydria.
vir/o	virus
viral	Pertaining to or caused by a virus.
viremia	The presence of viruses in the blood.
virion	The compete viral particle.
virology	The study of the structure, growth, function, genetics, and reproduction of viruses and virus diseases.
virus	A small infectious agent which lacks independent metabolism and is able to replicate only within a living host cell. The individual particle (virion) consists of either DNA or RNA and a protein capsid.
viscer/o	body organs
viscera	the large interior organs in any one of the three great cavities of the body, especially in the abdomen.
viscosity	Resistance to flow.
vit/o	life
vital capacity	The volume of air that is exhaled by a maximal expiration following a maximal inspiration.
vital signs	The signs of life that may be monitored or measured, namely pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure.
vitamins	Organic substances that are required in small amounts for maintenance and growth.
vitelline	Pertaining to the vitellus.
vitellus	Yolk of an egg.
vitiligo	A chronic disease that causes white patches develop on the skin.
vitre/o	vitreous body
vitrectomy	Surgery to remove vitreous gel from the eye.	vĭ-trek´tah-me
vitreous body	The transparent, semi gelatinous substance that fills the cavity behind the crystalline lens of the eye and in front of the retina.
vitrification	To convert into a glassy substance.
vivi-	live, alive
vivisection	Experiments performed on living animals involving surgery.
VLDL	very low density lipoprotein
VNA	Visiting Nurse Association
vocal cords	A pair of cone-shaped elastic mucous membrane projecting from the laryngeal wall and forming a narrow slit between them. Each contains a vocal ligament that shortens or relaxes the vocal cord to control sound production.
vol	volume
volar	Pertaining to the palm or sole.
-volemia	blood volume
volition	Voluntary activity without external compulsion.
vomiting	The forcible expulsion of the contents of the stomach through the mouth.
VS	vital signs
VSD	ventricular septal defect
VT	ventricular tachycardia
vulv/o	vulva
vulva	The external genitalia of the female. It includes the clitoris, the labia, the vestibule and its glands.
vulvitis	Inflammation of the vulva.
vv	veins
VW	vessel wall