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Medical Glossary
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Medical Glossary "W" through "Z"
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Vagus nerve: A cranial nerve that extends from the head to the heart, and then through the viscera of the abdomen. Enervating organs with parasympathetic fibers, the vagus nerve, when stimulated, generates a relaxation response.
Vanadium: This trace mineral plays a role in the metabolism of bones and teeth.
Vascular: Of the blood vessels.
Vasodilation: Opening, or widening, a blood vessel to allow more blood to pass. Certain drugs, such as nitroglycerin, are vasodilators. Many natural compounds, such as argentine, also exhibit vasodilatory properties.
Ventricular fibrillation: Effective rapid quivering of the heart; usually a fatal event.
Ventricular tachardia: A serious accelerated heartbeat.
Vitamins: Organic substances essential to the nutrition of most animals and plants. Though we produce some vitamins in our bodies, we need to obtain others through the foods we eat and/or supplementation.
Vitamin A: A fat-soluble vitamin that helps form and maintain healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. It promotes bone growth, tooth development, and reproductive function, and enhances the body's immune system. Also, it aids in treatment of eye disorders such as night blindness.
Vitamin B6: This vitamin acts as a coenzyme in many reactions involved in the metabolism of amino acids and essential fatty acids. Therefore it is needed for proper growth and maintenance of almost all of our body functions. It also helps maintain chemical balance among body fluids. Additionally, it has been shown to help normal function of the brain, promote normal red blood cell formation, and regulate the excretion of water.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin acts as a coenzyme for fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and therefore promotes normal growth and development. It is also involved in the production of myelin, which is the sheath of 'insulation' that covers nerves. This vitamin is only present in animal products, so those following a vegan diet need to supplement it.
Vitamin C: A water-soluble vitamin that promotes healthy capillaries, gums, and teeth, and helps heal wounds and broken bones. It promotes iron absorption (thereby enhancing red blood cell formation), and helps form collagen in connective tissues. Also, it has been used to help treat urinary tract infections.
Vitamin D: A fat-soluble vitamin that regulates growth, hardening, and repair of bone by controlling absorption of calcium and phosphorus. In a healthy person, vitamin D is synthesized in the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin E: A fat-soluble vitamin that functions mainly as an antioxidant in protecting cell membranes from free-radical damage. It promotes normal growth and development, as well as red blood cell formation, and also acts as an anti-blood clotting agent.
Vitamin K: The main function of this fat-soluble vitamin is to prevent abnormal bleeding.
Xenobiotics: Synthetic petrochemical substances that can mimic estrogen. Xenobiotics are found everywhere – in dry cleaning, gasoline vapors, hair spray, household cleaners, perfumes, plastic food containers, plastic wraps, soaps and industrial toxins such as DDT and insecticides.
Xenoestrogens: Synthetic estrogen compounds not produced naturally in the body that can cause health problems, including cancer. Xenoestrogens are often found in dairy and meat products.
Zinc: This mineral functions as an essential component of hormones, insulin, and enzymes. It helps maintain normal growth and development by promoting cell division, cell repair, and cell growth. Also, it aids in wound healing and the maintenance of normal taste and smell.
© 2010 Heart MD Institute, PA
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