Akademik

Vasodilation

Widening of blood vessels resulting from relaxation of the muscular wall of the vessels. What widens is actually the diameter of the interior (the lumen) of the vessel. The opposite of vasoconstriction.

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Widening of the lumen of blood vessel s. SYN: vasodilatation.

- active v. v. caused by a decrease in tonus of smooth muscle in the wall of a vessel.

- passive v. v. related to increased pressure in lumen of a vessel.

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va·so·di·la·tion .vā-zo-dī-'lā-shən or va·so·di·la·ta·tion -.dil-ə-'tā-shən, -.dī-lə- n widening of the lumen of blood vessels

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vaso·di·la·tion (va″zo-) (vas″o-di-laґshən) dilation of a vessel, especially dilation of arterioles leading to increased blood flow to a part; extreme, abnormal vasodilation is called angiectasis. Called also vasodilatation. vasodilative adj

Medical dictionary. 2011.