MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Systemic

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Systemic

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Alternative Names	Definition

Alternative Names

Somatic

Definition Return to top

Systemic means "affecting the entire body," rather than a single organ or body part.

For example, systemic disorders such as high blood pressure or systemic diseases such as influenza affect the entire body.

An infection that is in the bloodstream is called a systemic infection. An infection that affects only one body part or organ is called a localized infection.

Update Date: 1/22/2007

Updated by: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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