overload

overload

 [o´ver-lōd]

an excess over what is normal or needed.

iron overload an excess of iron in the body; see hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis, and siderosis.

sensory overload a condition in which an individual receives an excessive or intolerable amount of sensory stimuli, as in a busy hospital or clinic or an intensive care unit; the effects of sensory overload are similar to those of sensory deprivation, including confusion and hallucination.

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

overload

(o'ver-lod?)

To exceed the capacity of a cell, physiological process, organism, or system, causing it to fail. overload

circulatory overload

Volume overload.

fluid overload

Volume overload.

iron overload

Organ failure caused by excessive accumulation of iron in the body, usually from frequent transfusions or hemochromatosis.

pressure overload

Demand placed on muscle, esp. heart muscle, in response to high blood pressure or stenotic valves. Over time pressure overload results in cardiac hypertrophy and, eventually, heart failure.

sensory overload

A condition in which sensory stimuli are received at an excessive rate or intensity. Sensory overload can produce increases in heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, confusion, anxiety, mental distress, and/or erratic behavior.

stress overload

Excessive amounts and types of demands that require action.

volume overload

An excess of blood or body fluids in the circulation or extracellular tissues. It is usually caused by transfusions or excessive fluid infusions that increase the venous pressure, esp. in patients with heart disease, and it can result in heart failure, pulmonary edema, and cyanosis.

Synonym: circulatory overload; fluid overload; hypervolemia

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