Absence of oxygen in arterial blood; formerly often used to include moderate decrease in oxygen now properly distinguished as hypoxemia. [G. an- priv. + oxygen + G. haima, blood]
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an·ox·emia or chiefly Brit an·ox·ae·mia .an-.äk-'sē-mē-ə n a condition of subnormal oxygenation of the arterial blood
an·ox·emic or chiefly Brit an·ox·ae·mic -mik adj
Medical dictionary. 2011.