Hyper is a Greek prefix meaning ‘above’, ‘over’, or ‘excessive’. In medical terminology, it indicates that a measurement or condition exceeds the normal range. The opposite prefix is hypo (meaning ‘below’ or ‘insufficient’). In cardiovascular and critical care medicine, hyper- appears in many important clinical terms. Hypertension means abnormally high blood pressure. Hyperkalaemia means abnormally … Read more
Hyperventilation is abnormally rapid or deep breathing that eliminates carbon dioxide from the blood faster than it is produced by the body. As blood carbon dioxide levels fall, the blood becomes more alkaline (respiratory alkalosis), which causes a cascade of physiological effects including narrowing of blood vessels in the brain, altered nerve excitability, and shifts … Read more
Homocysteine is a sulphur-containing amino acid produced in the body as an intermediate product of methionine metabolism. It is normally present in the blood in small amounts and is rapidly converted to other compounds, a process requiring B vitamins (folate, B6, and B12) as co-factors. When these vitamins are deficient, or in people with certain … Read more