Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

This condition can be acute or chronic. It consists of increased pressure in the front chamber (anterior chamber) of the eye due to sudden (acute) or slowly progressive (chronic) blockage of the normal circulation of fluid within the eye. The block takes place at the angle of the anterior chamber formed by its junction of…

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are medications that block the action of angiotensin II by preventing angiotensin II from binding.

An enzyme, abbreviated ACE2, that is an essential regulator of heart function. It may also be involved in the embryonic development of the heart. ACE2 was discovered in 2000. The gene for it has been mapped to the X chromosome (band Xp22).

An enzyme that helps the body regulate blood pressure. Abbreviated ACE.

A family of peptides that constrict blood vessels. Narrowing the diameter of the blood vessels causes blood pressure to rise.

Also called angiostrongyliasis. Infection with the parasitic nematode (roundworm) Angiostrongylus. The two species that infect humans are A. cantonensis and A. costaricensis. A. cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is the most common cause of human eosinophilic meningitis (meningitis with eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid). The meningitis is due to the presence of the rat lungworm larvae in the brain and…

Infection with the parasitic nematode (roundworm) Angiostrongylus. The two species that infect humans are A. cantonensis and A. costaricensis. A. cantonensis, the rat lungworm, is the most common cause of human eosinophilic meningitis (meningitis with eosinophils in the cerebrospinal fluid). The meningitis is due to the presence of the rat lungworm larvae in the brain and the patient’s local…

A fragment of a protein, plasminogen, that is involved in blood clotting. Angiostatin is normally secreted by tumors, and it appears to halt the process of developing new blood vessels, which is necessary to tumor development.

A form of tissue cancer (sarcoma) that arises in the lining of blood vessels. Angiosarcomas tend to be aggressive, recur locally, and spread widely. Predisposing factors include lymphedema (as from a radical mastectomy), radiotherapy, foreign materials (such as steel and plastic) in the body, and environmental agents (such as arsenic solutions used to spray grapevines and vinyl chloride in the plastic…

Procedure with a balloon-tipped catheter to enlarge a narrowing in a coronary artery. Also called Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA).