Apoplexy

Apoplexy
A venerable term for a stroke, a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), often associated with loss of consciousness and paralysis of various parts of the body. The word "apoplexy" comes from the Greek "apoplexia" meaning a seizure, in the sense of being struck down. In Greek "plexe" is "a stroke." The ancients believed that someone suffering a stroke (or any sudden incapacity) had been struck down by the gods.
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SYN: stroke (1). [G. apoplexia]
- adrenal a. hemorrhage into the adrenal glands or thrombosis of the adrenal veins, followed by acute adrenal insufficiency, occurring in the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.
- bulbar a. a. due to vascular lesion in the brainstem.
- functional a. a condition simulating a. without any cerebral lesion; a form of conversion hysteria.
- heat a. 1. SYN: heatstroke. 2. SYN: ardent fever.
- labyrinthine a. a clinical syndrome manifested as a single, abrupt attack of severe vertigo, nausea, and vomiting, with permanent loss of labyrinthine function on one side, but without associated hearing loss or tinnitus. Attributed to occlusion of the labyrinthine branch of the internal auditory artery.
- pituitary a. the sudden onset of visual loss, ophthalmoplegia, and meningeal pain due to infarction of a pituitary adenoma, producing compression of chiasm and cavernous sinus and some subarachnoid hemorrhage.
- spinal a. stroke involving the spinal cord.
- uteroplacental a. SYN: Couvelaire uterus.

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ap·o·plexy 'ap-ə-.plek-sē n, pl -plex·ies
1) STROKE
2) copious hemorrhage into a cavity or into the substance of an organ <abdominal \apoplexy> <adrenal \apoplexy>

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n.

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ap·o·plexy (apґo-plek″se) [Gr. apoplēxia] 1. stroke syndrome. 2. hemorrhage into an organ. apoplectic adj

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Apoplexy — is a medical term, which can be used to describe bleeding in a stroke (formerly described as a cerebrovascular accident). Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as… …   Wikipedia

  • Apoplexy — Ap o*plex y ([a^]p [ o]*pl[e^]ks [y^]), n. [OE. poplexye, LL. poplexia, apoplexia, fr. Gr. apoplhxi a, fr. apoplh ssein to cripple by a stroke; apo from + plh ssein to strike: cf. F. apoplexie. See {Plague}.] (Med.) Sudden diminution or loss of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • apoplexy — (n.) late 14c., sudden fit of paralysis and dizziness, from O.Fr. apoplexie or directly from L.L. apoplexia, from Gk. apoplexia, from apoplessein to strike down and incapacitate, from apo off (see APO (Cf. apo )), in this case probably an… …   Etymology dictionary

  • apoplexy — [n] loss of consciousness from blockage in vein or artery occlusion, seizure, stroke, thrombosis; concepts 316,720 Ant. consciousness …   New thesaurus

  • apoplexy — ► NOUN (pl. apoplexies) 1) dated unconsciousness or incapacity resulting from a cerebral haemorrhage or stroke. 2) informal extreme anger. ORIGIN Greek apoplexia, from apopl ssein disable by a stroke …   English terms dictionary

  • apoplexy — [ap′ə plek΄sē] n. [ME & OFr apoplexie < LL apoplexia < Gr apoplēxia < apoplēssein, to strike down, disable by a stroke < apo , from + plēssein, to strike < IE base * plāg > PLAGUE] 1. Old fashioned a cerebral accident or stroke… …   English World dictionary

  • apoplexy — [[t]æ̱pəpleksi[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT Apoplexy is a heart attack. [OLD FASHIONED] 2) N UNCOUNT Apoplexy is extreme anger. [FORMAL] He has already caused apoplexy with his books on class and on war …   English dictionary

  • apoplexy —   n. stroke or seizure due to thrombosis or rupture of brain artery.    ♦ apoplectic, a. pertaining to, like or symptomatic of apoplexy …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • apoplexy — noun Etymology: Middle English apoplexie, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin apoplexia, from Greek apoplēxia, from apoplēssein to cripple by a stroke, from apo + plēssein to strike more at plaint Date: 15th century… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • apoplexy — apoplectiform /ap euh plek teuh fawrm /, apoplectoid, adj. /ap euh plek see/, n. Pathol. 1. stroke (def. 6). 2. a sudden, usually marked loss of bodily function due to rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel. 3. a hemorrhage into an organ cavity… …   Universalium

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