What does azotemic mean?
Azotemic is a formal medical adjective meaning that a person, organism, or condition has an abnormally high concentration of nitrogenous waste, particularly urea, in the blood. This accumulation is known as azotemia and commonly occurs when the kidneys cannot adequately filter metabolic waste, although it can also arise from other causes. The word is used in clinical reports, diagnostic discussions, and medical literature rather than ordinary conversation. Its significance depends on the broader clinical picture: azotemia identifies an abnormal laboratory finding, while uremia refers more specifically to the syndrome of uremic poisoning and its associated symptoms. Even so, the closely related term uremic is often used as a synonym in medical usage. Recognizing azotemic is useful because persistent elevation of blood urea nitrogen and related substances can signal significant kidney dysfunction and may prompt further investigation or treatment.
adjectiveHaving or characterized by an abnormally high level of nitrogenous waste, especially urea, in the blood. The condition indicated by this adjective is called azotemia.
- Having or characterized by an abnormally high concentration of nitrogenous waste, especially urea, in the blood.
"The azotemic patient had elevated blood urea nitrogen and showed signs of impaired kidney function."
"The azotemic patient had elevated blood urea nitrogen and showed signs of impaired kidney function."
"Her azotemic condition was confirmed by laboratory results."
Azotemic turns a routine blood test into a warning sign: when nitrogenous waste accumulates, the kidneys may not be doing their filtering job.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does azotemic come from?
Azotemic was formed in English from azotemia plus the adjective suffix -ic. Azotemia combines French azote, meaning nitrogen, with the medical suffix -emia; French azote derives from the Greek azōtos, meaning lifeless, ultimately from a- meaning without and zōē meaning life. The related cognates include azote, azo, and azotization.
Related word forms
How azotemic is actually used
This is a formal, chiefly clinical term. It describes the biochemical finding of azotemia and should not automatically be treated as interchangeable with uremic in every context, since uremia more specifically denotes the clinical syndrome associated with retained uremic waste.
Easily confused with azotemic
Azotemia is the noun naming the presence of abnormally high nitrogenous waste in the blood, whereas azotemic is the adjective describing a person, organism, or condition characterized by it.