What is meant by hemorrhage?

Hemorrhage refers to the loss of blood from the circulatory system, and it can be categorized as excessive bleeding. This can occur internally or externally and varies in severity. Excessive bleeding can lead to significant health risks, including shock or even death, if not managed properly.

Understanding the nature of hemorrhage is essential in medical contexts, especially when assessing a patient’s condition or determining the necessary interventions. It includes various situations, such as arterial bleeding, venous bleeding, or capillary bleeding, but the defining aspect is the volume of blood being lost, which can be critical to a person's health and requires attention and treatment.

The other options describe different situations or types of bleeding that don't encapsulate the overall definition of hemorrhage. Inadequate tissue perfusion relates to insufficient blood flow to tissues, localized bruising pertains to damage from trauma with no active bleeding, and minor capillary bleeding doesn't reflect the seriousness often associated with the term 'hemorrhage.' Therefore, the term is best understood as excessive bleeding.