Azotaemia

/ˌæz.oʊˈti.mi.ə/ noun

Definition

A medical condition where excess nitrogen-containing waste products (especially urea) accumulate in the blood due to kidney dysfunction.

Etymology

From Greek 'azote' (nitrogen, literally 'not supporting life') + 'haemia' (blood), coined in the 19th century to describe the pathological buildup of nitrogenous wastes in renal disease.

Kelly Says

Azotaemia literally means 'nitrogen blood,' and detecting it was revolutionary—doctors finally had a chemical marker proving that kidneys filter toxins rather than just controlling fluid balance, which was the belief before the 1800s.

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