Arteriovenous nicking

Arteriovenous Nicking

Arteriovenous nicking (pronunciation: ar-teer-ee-oh-vee-nuhs nik-ing) is a medical term referring to a condition observed in the retina of the eye, where the vein appears to be nicked at the site where it crosses an artery. This condition is often associated with hypertension and can be a sign of retinopathy.

Etymology

The term "arteriovenous nicking" is derived from three words: "arterio" from artery, "venous" from vein, and "nicking" which refers to the appearance of a nick or notch.

Related Terms

Artery: A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body.
Vein: A blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart.
Retina: The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye that converts light images to nerve signals and sends them to the brain.
Hypertension: A chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.
Retinopathy: Any damage to the retina of the eyes, which may cause vision impairment.