Orthostatic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or denoting a physiological response when an individual stands up, particularly the changes in blood pressure and heart rate that occur
2. Pertaining to adjustments made by the body to maintain blood flow during a shift from sitting or lying down to an upright position
3. Characteristic of the body's mechanisms to counteract the effects of gravity on circulation when transitioning to an erect stance

Etymology: "Orthostatic" is a modern medical term, built in English from two Greek elements: "orthos", meaning straight or upright, and the root of "static", which traces back through Latin "staticus" to Greek "statikos", from "histanai", to make stand. Together they describe something to do with standing upright. The most useful thing to know is that the word is not an ancient medical term. It is a recent coinage that takes classical building blocks and combines them for a precise purpose. The "ortho-" element appears in many English words, from "orthodox" to "orthopaedic," and in each case it carries the sense of straightness or correctness, while "static" brings the idea of standing still or being in a fixed position. In practice, the term is used in medicine to describe changes in the body when a person moves from lying or sitting to standing, such as a drop in blood pressure or a change in heart rate. The word is a straightforward compound, so its meaning follows directly from its parts.

Synonyms: postural, upright, vertical