Chapter 15 (Vocabulary) Flashcards
An extremely high temperature.
hyperthermia
An abnormally low temperature.
hypothermia
Normal range - oral temperature>
Fever - temperature of ? or higher>
98.6 degrees F or 37 degrees Celsius
100 degrees Fahrenheit
An instrument used to measure blood pressure.
sphygmomanometer
Listening for sounds within the body and is usually performed through a stethoscope.
auscultation
An abnormal crackle-like lung sound heard through a stethoscope during inspiration.
rale, aka crackle
Coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring. These sounds are usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways.
rhonchi
An abnormal, high pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box).
stridor
An abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation on an artery. These sounds are usually due to a partially blocked, narrowed, or diseased artery. A thrill is an abnormal rhythmic vibrations felt when palpating an artery.
bruit
An examination technique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency and location of certain body parts.
palpation
A diagnostic procedure to designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers.
percussion
An instrument used to examine the interior of the eye.
ophthalmoscope
An instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane.
otoscope
An instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity to facilitate inspection of its interior.
speculum
An instrument used to listen to sounds within the body.
stethoscope
Describes the position in which the patient is lying down. This can be on the back, front, or side.
recumbent
The patient is lying on the back, face up. This position is used for examination and treatment of the anterior surface of the body and for x-rays.
horizontal recumbent position, aka supine position
The patient is lying on the back, face up, with the knees bent. This position is used for the examination and treatment of the abdominal area and for vaginal or rectal examinations.
dorsal recumbent position
The patient is lying on the back, face up, with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups. This position is used for vaginal and rectal examinations and during childbirth.
lithotomy position
The patient is lying on the abdomen face down. The arms may be placed under the head for comfort. This position is used for the examination and treatment of the back and buttocks.
prone position
The patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the back. This position is used in the examination and treatment of the rectal area.
Sims’ position
The patient is lying face down with the hips bent so that the knees and chest rest on the table. This position is also used for rectal examinations.
knee-chest position
A medical professional who is trained to draw blood from patients for various laboratory tests and other procedures.
phlebotomist
The puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood.
phlebotomy
The puncture of an artery, usually on the inside of the wrist, to obtain arterial blood. Arterial blood differs from venous blood mostly in the concentration of dissolved gases it contains.
arterial stick
The technique used when only a small amount of blood is needed as a specimen for a blood test. Named for where it is performed, it is usually known as a finger, heel, or an earlobe stick.
capillary puncture
A test based on the speed with which the red blood cells separate from the plasma and fall to the bottom of a specialized test tube. An elevated sed rate indicates the presence of inflammation in the body.
Erythrocyte sedimentation, aka sed rate [Normal range is
Describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells. This test is used to diagnose abnormal states of hydration, polycythemia and anemia.
hematocrit [A blood test that measures the percentage by volume of red blood cells in a whole blood sample.]
Measures the number of platelets in a specified amount of blood and is a screening test to evaluate platelet function. It is also used to monitor changes in the blood associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These changes include thrombocytosis (an abnormal increase in the number of platelets) and thrombocytopenia (an abnormal decrease in the number of platelets).
platelet count
Is a determination of the number of erythrocytes in the blood. A depressed count can indicate anemia or a hemorrhage lasting more than 24 hours.
red blood cell count (RBC)
Performed to determine the capability of blood donor and the recipient before a blood transfusion. Agglutination is a positive reaction that indicates the donor unit is not a suitable match. Agglutination is the clumping together of red blood cells.
crossmatch tests
Performed to identify high levels of inflammation within the body. The information provided by this test is obtained by the presence of the C-reactive protein, which is produced by the liver only during episodes of acute inflammation.
C-reactive protein test (CRP) [Although this test does not identify the specific cause of the inflammation, an elevated level can indicate a heart attack, a coronary artery disease, or an autoimmune disorder.]
Measures the ability of the liver ability to take up, process, and secrete bilirubin into the bile. This test is useful in determining whether a patient has liver disease or a blocked bile duct.
serum bilirubin test
Measures the PH, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels of arterioal blood. This test is used to evalute lung and kidney function and overall metabolism.
arterial blood gas analysis (ABG)
Reflects the amount of waste, minerals, and solids that are present.
A characteristic of diabetes insipidus >
Occurs in conditions such as dehydration, liver failure, or shock>
specific gravity
Low specific gravity
High specific gravity
The presence of the protein albumin in the urine. High test levels are a sign of impaired kidney function.
albuminuria
The presence of bacteria in the urine.
bacteriuria
The presence of calcium in the urine. Abnormally high levels can be diagnostic for hyperparathyroidism. Lower than normal levels can indicate osteomalacia.
calciuria
An increased concentration of creatinine in the urine. The presence of excess creatinine is an indication of increased muscle breakdown or a disruption of kidney function.
creatinuria
The presence of glucose in the urine. This condition is most commonly caused by diabetes.
glycosuria
The presence of blood in the urine. This condition can be caused by kidney stones, infection, kidney damage, or bladder cancer.
hematuria
The presence of ketones in the urine. Ketones are formed when the body breaks down fat and their presence in urine can indicate starvation or uncontrolled diabetes.
ketonuria
The presence of abnormal amount of protein in the urine. This condition is a sign of kidney disease.
proteinuria