Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG and EKG. An ECG is a simple, noninvasive procedure. Electrodes are placed on the skin of the chest and connected in a specific order to a machine that, when turned on, measures electrical activity all over the heart. Output usually appears on a long scroll of…

Surgery that is subject to choice (election). The choice may be made by the patient or doctor. For example, the time when a surgical procedure is performed may be elective. The procedure is beneficial to the patient but does not need be done at a particular time. As opposed to urgent or emergency surgery.

In medicine, something chosen (elected). An elective procedure is one that is chosen (elected) by the patient or physician that is advantageous to the patient but is not urgent. Elective surgery is decided by the patient or their doctor. The procedure is seen as beneficial but not absolutely essential at that time.

The bony tip of the elbow is called the olecranon. It is formed by the near end of the ulna, one of the two long bones in the forearm (the other is the radius). The triceps muscle tendon of the back of the arm attaches to the tip of the elbow (the olecranon). Diseases can affect the olecranon. For example,…

Inflammation of the skin around the elbow due to infection (cellulitis) commonly occurs as a result of abrasions or puncture wounds permitting bacteria on the surface of the skin to invade the deeper layers of the skin. This causes inflamed skin characterized by heat, redness, warmth, and swelling. The most common bacteria that cause cellulitis…

The juncture of the long bones in the middle portion of the upper extremity. The bone of the arm (humerus) meets both the ulna (the inner bone of the forearm) and radius (the outer bone of the forearm) to form a hinge joint at the elbow. The radius and ulna also meet one another in the elbow to…

An antidepressant medication. In some patients with depression, abnormal levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters may relate to the depression. Amitriptyline elevates mood by raising the level of neurotransmitters in brain tissue. Amitriptyline is also a sedative that is useful for depressed patients with insomnia, restlessness, and nervousness. It is sometimes used to treat fibromyalgia and symptoms related to chronic pain. Brand names…

The percentage of blood that is pumped out of a filled ventricle as a result of a heartbeat. The heart does not eject all the blood in the ventricle. Only about two-thirds of the blood is normally pumped out with each beat, and that fraction is referred to as the ejection fraction. The ejection fraction is…

Ejection of sperm and seminal fluid during an orgasm in a male.

An abnormal and persistent fear of mirrors. Sufferers experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. Because their fear often is grounded in superstitions, they may worry that breaking a mirror will bring bad luck or that looking into a mirror will put them in contact with a supernatural world inside the…