What term describes the settling of blood and other fluids to dependent portions of the body after death?

What term describes the settling of blood and other fluids to dependent portions of the body after death?

• A. Hypostasis
• B. Livor mortis
• C. Dehydration
• D. Imbibition

Answer: (A)

After death, gravity pulls blood and fluids toward the lowest parts of the body, causing them to pool in dependent areas. This pooling is called hypostasis. The bluish-red discoloration that results on the skin is livor mortis, which describes the visible sign of that pooling. So, for the term that describes the settling process itself, hypostasis is the best fit. Dehydration is unrelated, and imbibition refers to liquids being absorbed into a material, not to postmortem blood settling.

After death, gravity pulls blood and fluids toward the lowest parts of the body, causing them to pool in dependent areas. This pooling is called hypostasis. The bluish-red discoloration that results on the skin is livor mortis, which describes the visible sign of that pooling. So, for the term that describes the settling process itself, hypostasis is the best fit. Dehydration is unrelated, and imbibition refers to liquids being absorbed into a material, not to postmortem blood settling.