ischemia

noun

is·​che·​mia i-ˈskē-mē-ə 

: deficient supply of blood to a body part (such as the heart or brain) that is due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood

ischemic

i-ˈskē-mik 

adjective

Examples of ischemia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The vascular surgeon who calls at 11:45 p.m. says, after reading her father’s most recent CT angiogram, that the diffuse colitis was likely caused by mesenteric ischemia, which was caused by a thrombosis of the false lumen of an SMA dissection. —Weike Wang, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2024

When chest pain presents in this way, doctors call this condition ischemia and no obstructive coronary arteries. —Amy Huebschmann, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024

Keep in mind that changes in skin color are typically less pronounced in people with darker skin, so ischemia and necrosis may be harder to spot.24 Changes in temperature of fingers and toes. —Alex Yampolsky, Verywell Health, 11 July 2024

Another focus is to create therapies using siRNA, or small interfering pieces of RNA that block the cascade of signals heart cells send out when they’re deprived of oxygen, that can lead to ischemia or other injury. —Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 22 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ischaemia, from ischaemus styptic, from Greek ischaimos, from ischein to restrain (akin to Greek echein to hold) + haima blood — more at scheme entry 1

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

ischemia

noun

isch·​emia

variants or chiefly British ischaemia

is-ˈkē-mē-ə 

: deficient supply of blood to a body part (as the heart or brain) that is due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood (as by the narrowing of arteries by spasm or disease)

ischemic adjective

or chiefly British ischaemic

-mik 

ischemically adverb

or chiefly British ischaemically

-mi-k(ə-)lē