CONTRACTILITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does contractility mean? 

• CONTRACTILITY (noun)
  The noun CONTRACTILITY has 1 sense:

1. the capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter

  Familiarity information: CONTRACTILITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONTRACTILITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("contractility" is a kind of...):

ability (the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "contractility"):

astringency; stypsis (the ability to contract or draw together soft body tissues to check blood flow or restrict secretion of fluids)

Derivation:

contractile (capable of contracting or being contracted)

 Context examples 

This agent improves hemodynamics in patients with ventricular dysfunction by increasing the stroke volume index and left ventricular contractility and by producing pulmonary vasodilation.

(Milrinone Lactate, NCI Thesaurus)

Although stimulation of the beta adrenergic receptor increases blood flow to produce vasodilatation, this drug may also have direct effects on the contractility of smooth muscle.

(Isoxsuprine Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Although stimulation of the beta adrenergic receptor increases blood flow to produce vasodilatation, this agent may also have direct effects on the contractility of smooth muscle.

(Isoxsuprine, NCI Thesaurus)

Esmolol hydrochloride competitively blocks beta-1 adrenergic receptors in cardiac muscle and reduces the contractility and cardiac rate of heart muscle, thereby decreasing cardiac output and myocardial oxygen demands.

(Esmolol Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Nebivolol binds to and blocks the beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart, thereby decreasing cardiac contractility and rate.

(Nebivolol, NCI Thesaurus)

Nifedipine inhibits the transmembrane influx of extracellular calcium ions into myocardial and vascular smooth muscle cells, causing dilatation of the main coronary and systemic arteries and decreasing myocardial contractility.

(Nifedipine, NCI Thesaurus)

Penbutolol competitively binds to and blocks beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart, thereby decreasing cardiac contractility and rate.

(Penbutolol, NCI Thesaurus)

It may also suppress inflammation and improve contractility of the diaphragm.

(Oxtriphylline, NCI Thesaurus)

Oxprenolol competitively binds to and blocks beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart, thereby decreasing cardiac contractility and rate.

(Oxprenolol, NCI Thesaurus)

Nisoldipine inhibits the transmembrane influx of extracellular calcium ions into myocardial and vascular smooth muscle cells, causing dilatation of the main coronary and systemic arteries and decreasing myocardial contractility.

(Nisoldipine, NCI Thesaurus)