Assisting with other Specialties Flashcards
What does an allergist do?
diagnoses and treating allergies
What does a cardiologist do?
heart disease and disorders
What does a dermatologists do?
skin disorders
What does a gastroenterologist do?
disorders of the GI tract, liver, pancreas
What do neurologists do?
disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system
What do oncologists do?
tumors and cancerous growths
What do orthopedists do?
bone and joints
What is hay fever?
seasonal allergies
What are symptoms of hay fever?
- nasal inflammation
- sneezing
- runny nose
- scratchy throat
- red itchy eyes
What is sinusitis?
inflammation of mucous membranes in the sinuses
What is sinusitis caused by?
infection, allergies, irritation from toxic substances in the air
What does asthma affect?
airways that carry air into and out of the lungs
What are symptoms of asthma?
- coughing
- wheezing
- shortness of breath
- chest tightness
- producing mucus
What are urticaria?
hives
- raised red welts on the surface of the skin
What are hives associated with?
allergic reaction
- histamine release or abnormalities in parts of the immune system
What is anaphylaxis?
life-threatening allergic reaction
What is the scratch test?
- suspected allergens applied to patient’s skin
- skin is scratched to allow extracts to penetrate
What is intradermal test?
- solutions of allergens injected into the skin of the inner forearm or upper back with a fine-gauge needle
- small blister appears
- reaction time is about 15-30 minutes
What is an example of intradermal test?
TB skin test
What is RAST?
measures blood levels of antibodies to specific allergens
What are anti-inflammatory medications for?
- allergies
- prevent or reverse inflammation in the airways
What are bronchodilators for?
- allergies
- opens airways during asthma episodes
What is epinephrine for?
- allergies
- contradicts anaphylaxis
What is coronary artery disease?
narrowing of the blood vessels surrounding the heart, reduces blood flow to the heart muscle
What are other cardiovascular diseases?
- hypertension
- myocardial infarction
- dysrhythmias
- heart failure
- valvular diseases
What are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases?
- inactivity
- obesity
- high blood pressure
- smoking
- high cholesterol
- diabetes
How can we education patients to take care of their hearts?
- prevention of heart disease, stroke, heart attack
- medications
- testing instructions
What are common cardiology tests?
- blood pressure
- pulse
- EKG
- holter monitor
- stress testing
- MRI
- CT
- angiogram
What is the Holter monitor?
records electrical activity of the heart continuously over 24 hours or longer
What is stress testing?
uses exercise
- shows how the heart works during physical activity
What is EKG for?
echocardiogram
- ultrasound scan of the heart
What is angiogram?
x-ray used to examine the coronary arteries
What are cardiac biomarkers?
used to diagnose a heart attack by determining if heart cells have been damaged
- cardiac troponin
- creatinine kinase (CK)
What are lipid blood tests for?
diagnose levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
What are c-reactive proteins for?
identifies high levels inflammation
What are blood tests for anticoagulants?
blood thinner evaluation
- prothrombin time
What is cardiac catheterization?
invasive procedure
- catheter inserted into a vein or artery in the arm/leg
- passed through the blood vessels into the heart
What is a balloon angioplasty?
balloon inflated at site of blockage to compress blockage and widen artery
What is a stent?
tube placed in artery to keep it open
What is coronary artery bypass graft?
surgery to bypass blockage using a vessel taken from another area
What are anticoagulants for?
help prevent blood from clotting
What are ACE inhibitors for?
dilate/widen blood vessels
- improve blood flow
What are antiarrhythmics for?
treats arrhythmias
What are angiotensin receptors for?
relaxes veins and arteries to lower blood prresure
What are beta blockers for?
treats high blood pressure, angina, and abnormal heart rhythms
What are calcium channel blockers for?
treats high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and angina
What is statin?
cholesterol-lowering medications
What are diuretics for?
helps kidneys flush out excess fluid
What are vasodilators for?
relaxes blood vessels
- treats hypertension
What does acne vulgaris represent?
puberty
What is contact dermatitis?
poison ivy
- treated with corticosteroids
What is ringworm?
caused by fungus
- circular rash
What is psoriasis?
red, itchy, scaly patches
- most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk, scalp
- common, chronic disease with no cure
What is eczema?
acute dermatitis
- dry, itchy skin and rashes on the face, inside the elbows, and behind the knees, and on the hands and feet
What are other skin disorders?
- cysts
- moles
- skin cancers
- warts
- keloids
- jaundice
What are warts caused by?
virus
What are keloids?
firm, rubbery lesions or nodules, colors vary
- benign and not contagious
- triggered by skin injury, insect bites, acene, injection, body piercing, burns, hair removal, minor scratches
What is jaundice caused by?
liver cancer or cirrhosis
What are skin tests for?
diagnose allergies, infections, and other problems affecting the skin
- used to tell the difference between malignant and benign cells
What is patch testing?
diagnose skin allergies
- allergens applied to the skin on the back with adhesive patches and left for a period of time
- skin is examined for a reaction
What is a skin biopsy for?
diagnose skin cancer or benign skin disorders
What are cultures for?
identifying bacteria, fungus, virus causing an infection
- skin, hair, nails
What is wood’s lamp examination?
used UV light to look at the skin closely
What are type 1 diabetes risk factors?
- family history
- age
What are type 2 diabetes risk factors?
- overweight
- 45 years or older
- family history
- sedentary lifestyle
- African American, Hispanic, Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native person
What are some gestational diabetes risk factors?
- gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- birth to a baby over 9 pounds
- overweight
- more than 25 years old
- family history of Type II
What is the A1C test?
- measures average blood sugar level over the past 2 or 3 months
- <5.7% normal
- 5.7-6.4% = prediabetes
- > 6.5% = diabetes
What is the fasting blood sugar test?
- measures blood sugar after an overnight fast
- <99 mg/dL normal
- 100-125 mg/dL prediabetes
- > 126 mg/dL diabetes
What is glucose tolerance test?
measures blood sugar before and after drinking a liquid that contains glucose
- fasting glucose checked over several hours
What is the common medication for type 1 diabetes?
insulin
What are medications for type 2 diabetes? How does each help?
- alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: help body break down starchy foods and table sugar lowering blood sugar
- biguanides: decrease how much sugar the liver makes
- dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors: help the body continue to make insulin
- Sulfonylureas: stimulates the pancreas to make more insulin
What is hypothyroidism?
decreased activity of the thyroid gland
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
- fatigue
- increased sensitivity to cold
- constipation
- dry skin
- weight gain
What is hyperthyroidism?
Graves disease
- increased gland activity
What are symptoms of Graves disease?
- anxiety
- irritability
- elevated heart rate and blood pressure
- weight loss
What is a goiter?
irregular growth of the thyroid gland
What is T4 blood test?
measures blood level of the hormone T4 (thyroxine)
What is TSH blood test?
measures thyroid stimulating hormone in the blood
What is T3 total blood test?
measures level of hormone T3 in the blood
What is thyroid ultrasound?
used to examine the thyroid for abnormalities
- cysts
- nodules
- tumors
What is a hernia?
upper part of the stomach bulges through diaphragm
What is cholecystitis?
inflammation of the gallbladder
What is cholelithiasis?
gallstones
What is colitis?
inflammation of the inner lining of the colon
What is diverticulitis?
infection or inflammation of pounches in the intestines
What is GERD?
stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus
What is the role of a MA during gastroenterology exams?
- exam procedure based on patient’s symptoms
- provide reassurance and ensure comfort
- assist as permitted
- patient instructions
What is fluoroscopy?
- makes real-time video of the movements inside a part of the body by passing x-rays through the body over a period of time
What is barium swallow for?
- upper GI test
- imaging test checks for problems in the upper GI tract
- mouth
- back of throat
- esophagus
- stomach
- first part of the small intestine
What is barium enema test?
- lower GI test
- x-ray exam that detects changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon)
What is colonoscopy?
- used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon) and rectum
- long tube inserted into rectum
- video camera at the tip of the tube allows the physician to view the inside of the entire colon
What are common neurologic diseases?
- alzheimer’s disease
- bell’s palsy
- encephalitis
- epilepsy
- migraines
- parkinson’s disease
- paralysis
What are the characteristics of bell’s palsy?
- facial muscle weakness or paralysis
- begins suddenly and worsens over 48 hours
- results from damage to the facial nerve
What are the symptoms of encephalitis?
inflammation of tissues of the brain caused by an infection or an autoimmune response
What is parkinson’s disease?
- degenerative disorder that affects movement
- causes tremors
What are 3 types of paralysis?
- hemiplegia
- paraplegia
- quadriplegia
What is an EEG?
electroencephalography
- records electrical activity of the brain on a strip of graph paper
- detects or examines conditions such as tumors, seizure disorders, brain injury
What is cerebral angiography?
radiologic study of cerebral blood vessels using a contrast medium
What is brain scan?
patient injected with radioisotopes which gather in areas of abnormality such as tumors or abscesses
What is a computed tomography?
CT scan
- produces a 3D cross-sectional view of the brain
- can be done with/without a contrast medium
- diagnose a wide range of conditions, including tumors, blood clots, brain swelling
What are common orthopedic diseases and disorders?
- arthritis
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- dislocations, sprains, fractures
- osteoporosis
- low back pain
- bursitis
What is bursitis?
inflammation of a burse
- fluid-filled sac between tissues next to tendons near large joints in the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees
What are common orthopedic tests?
- bone densitometry (DEXA): for osteoporosis
- x-ray
- MRI
- ultrasound
- CT scan
- arthroscopy: view inside of a joint
What are some medications for orthopedics?
- NSAIDs
- osteoporosis treatment
- muscle relaxants
- opioid pain relievers
What are the 3 different types of biopsies and their functions?
- incisional (open) biopsy: piece of tissue is removed
- needle biopsy: removes tissue with a needle inserted through the skin into the growth or area
- needle aspiration: removes fluid from a lump or cyst with a needle
What is the role of a MA in oncology?
- sterile technique
- placing specimen in a prepared, labeled container provided by the laboratory
- transport specimen according to lab instructions, attaching the proper accompanying forms
- clean and bandage site
What are some examples of diagnostic testing in oncology?
- x-rays
- CT scans
- MRI
- blood tests to detect tumor markers
- ultrasound
- PET scan (radioactive drug)
What are some examples of cancer treatment?
- surgery: removal of all or part of the tumor
= most effective if tumor is contained or localized - radiation therapy: kills or stops the growth of tumor cells
= damages cells that undergo rapid division - chemotherapy: anticancer drugs administered to kill malignant cells
= used alone or in combination
= highly toxic (use PPE)
