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Medical Terminology > Chapter 4 Words > Flashcards

Chapter 4 Words Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

Abnormal

A

Pertaining to being away (AB-) from the norm.

Irregular.

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1
Q

Adrenal Glands

A

Two endocrine glands, each above a kidney.

The adrenal glands produce hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and hydrocortisone (cortisol).

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2
Q

Amenorrhea

A

Absence of menstrual periods.

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3
Q

Analysis

A

Separating apart.

Separating a substance into its component parts.

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4
Q

Anemia

A

Lacking in blood.

Deficiency of hemoglobin and/or in number of red blood cells, which results in reduced oxygen to body cells.

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5
Q

Antepartum

A

Before birth.

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6
Q

Antibody

A

A substance that works against (ANTI-) germs (“bodies” of infection).
Protein made by white blood cells - literally, a “body” working “against” foreign substance.
Antibodies are produced by white blood cells when germs (antigens) enter the bloodstream.

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7
Q

Antibiotic

A

A chemical substance that kills bacteria.
A chemical substance produced by various microorganisms or fungi (immature plants) that inhibits or destroys bacteria or other small organisms.
Examples or antibiotics are penicillin, erythromycin, and streptomycin. They are used in the treatment of infectious diseases.
Antibiotics are produced outside the body by microorganisms and primitive plants called molds.
As disease-fighting medications, they are taken by mouth or through intravenous injection, or applied topically to be absorbed through the skin.

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8
Q

Aphasia

A

No speech.
Absence of communication through speech.
- a stroke affecting the language area of the brain can produce this condition.

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8
Q

Antigen

A

Foreign protein that stimulates white blood cells to make antibodies.
Antigens are foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses.
When antigens enter the body, they stimulate white blood cells to produce antibodies that act against the antigens.

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10
Q

Aplastic Anemia

A

Bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and clotting cells (platelets).

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12
Q

Atrophy

A

No nourishment; development.
Decrease of size of cells within an organ.
- disuse of a muscle can result in muscular atrophy. Muscles shrink as cells decrease in size.

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13
Q

Hemolytic Anemia

A

Red blood cells are destroyed (-LYTIC), and bone marrow cannot compensate for their loss. This condition can be hereditary or acquired (after infection or chemotherapy) or can occur when the immune system acts against normal red blood cells (autoimmune condition).

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14
Q

Iron Deficiency Anemia

A

Low iron levels lead to low hemoglobin concentration or deficiency of red blood cells.

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15
Q

Pernicious Anemia

A

The mucous membrane of the stomach fails to produce a substance (intrinsic factor) that is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12 and the proper formation of red blood cells.

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16
Q

Sickle Cell Anemia

A

Erythrocytes assume an abnormal crescent or sickle shape; this “sickling” is due to the inheritance of an abnormal type of hemoglobin. The sickle-shaped cells clump together, causing clots that block blood vessels.

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17
Q

Apnea

A

Not able to breathe.
Temporary stoppage of breathing.
- in sleep apnea, during sleep, a person is momentarily unable to contract respiratory muscles and maintain air flow through the nose and mouth.
- in this term, the root (PNE, meaning breathing) is embedded in the suffix (-PNEA). Sleep apnea occurs when breathing stops suddenly during sleep.

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18
Q

Urinalysis

A

A urinalysis (urine + analysis) is the separation of urine to determine its components.
The following chart shows typical urinalysis findings:
1. Color - Light Yellow (normal) - Red (hematuria) (abnormal)
2. Clarity - Clear (normal) - Cloudy (infection) (abnormal)
3. pH (chemical nature) - slightly acidic (normal) - alkaline (infection) (abnormal)
4. Protein - very slight (normal) - proteinuria (renal disease) (abnormal)
5. Sugar - none (normal) - glycosuria (diabetes mellitus) (abnormal)

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19
Q

Bilateral

A

Pertaining to two (both) sides

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20
Q

Bradycardia

A

Slow heartbeat

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21
Q

Congenital

A

Pertaining to produce together.
A congenital anomaly is an irregularity (anomaly) present at birth.
Examples are webbed fingers and toes and heart defects.

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22
Q

Diarrhea

A

Complete flow, discharge.
Discharge of watery wastes from the colon.
Feces (stools) are loose and watery. Normal water reabsorbtion through the walls of the colon is impaired.

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23
Q

Dyspnea

A

Painful (DYS-) (labored, difficult) breathing (-PNEA).

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24
Q

Dysphagia

A

Difficult swallowing

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25
Q

Dysplasia

A

Abnormality of the development or the formation of cells.

Normal cells change in size, shape, and organization.

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26
Q

Dysmenorrhea

A

Painful menstrual flow.

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27
Q

Dysuria

A

Painful or difficult urination.

Dysuria is often a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI).

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28
Q

Ectopic Pregnancy

A

Development of the zygote (early product of conception) in a place outside the uterus.
The fallopian tubes are the most common ectopic site (95%), but they also occur on the ovary or on the surface of the peritoneum.
Normal implantation takes place on the inner lining (endometrium) of the uterus.

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29
Q

Arthroscopy

A

Visual examination of a joint

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30
Q

Bronchoscopy

A

Visual examination of the bronchial tubes

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31
Q

Colonoscopy

A

Visual examination of the colon (large intestine)

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32
Q

Cystoscopy

A

Visual examination of the urinary bladder

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33
Q

Esophagogastroscopy

A

Visual examination of the esophagus and stomach

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34
Q

Hysteroscopy

A

Visual examination of the uterus

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35
Q

Laparoscopy

A

Visual examination of the abdomen

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36
Q

Larygoscopy

A

Visual examination of the larynx (voice box)

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37
Q

Mediastinoscopy

A

Visual examination of the mediastinum

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38
Q

Sigmoidoscopy

A

Visual examination of the sigmoid colon (the lower, s-shaped part of the large intestine)

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39
Q

Endoscopy

A

Process of viewing the inside of hallow organs or cavities with an endoscope

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40
Q

Endocrine glands

A

Organs that secrete (produce) hormones.

The adrenal glands are endocrine glands.

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41
Q

Epidural hematoma

A

Pathologic mass of blood above the dura mater (outer most layer of membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord)

42
Q

Epidermis

A

Outer (EPI-) layer of the skin (-DERMIS).

The three layers of the skin, from outermost to innermost, are the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer.

43
Q

Excision

A

Acting of cutting out, removing or resecting.

44
Q

Extrahepatic

A

Pertaining to outside the liver

45
Q

Hemigastrectomy

A

Removal of half the stomach

46
Q

Hemiplegia

A

Paralysis of one side of the body.
One side of the body is paralyzed; usually caused by a cerebrovascular accident or brain lesion, such as a tumor. The resulting paralysis occurs on the side opposite the brain disorder.

47
Q

Hyperthyroidism

A

Excessive activity of the thyroid gland

48
Q

Hyperplasia

A

Cells increase in number.

The prostate gland is enlarged in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

49
Q

Hypertrophy

A

Enlargement of an organ as an increase in cells.
Cells increase in size, not number.
The opposite of hypertrophy is atrophy (cells shrink in size).

50
Q

Hypertension

A

High blood pressure.
Risk factors that contribute to high blood pressure are increasing age, smoking, obesity, heredity, and a stressful life.

51
Q

Hyperglycemia

A

Higher-than-normal levels of sugar in the blood.
May also be a sign of diabetes mellitus. Insulin either is not secreted or is improperly utilized so that sugar accumulates in the blood stream and spills over into the urine (glycosuria).

52
Q

Hypoglycemia

A

Lower-than-normal levels of sugar in the blood.
Over production of insulin or an overdose (from outside the body-exogenously) of insulin can lead to hypoglycemia, as glucose is removed from the blood at an increased rate.

53
Q

Incision

A

Cutting into the body or organ

54
Q

Intervertebral

A

Pertaining to lying between two back bones.

An intervertebral disk lies between any two vertebrae.

55
Q

Intrauterine

A

Pertaining to within the uterus

56
Q

Intravenous

A

Pertaining to within a vein.

The abbreviation for intravenous is IV.

57
Q

Malignant

A

Tending to become aggressively worse.

The term malignant describes cancerous tumors that invade and spread to distant organs.

58
Q

Metastasis

A

Spread of cancerous tumor to a distant organ or location.
Metastasis literally means change (META-) of place (-STASIS).
Metastatic means pertaining to a metastasis.
This term literally means a “change of place” (-STASIS).
It is the spread of a cancerous tumor from its original place to a secondary location in the body.

59
Q

Metacarpals

A

Bones of the hand between the wrist bones and the finger bones.
The carpal bones are the wrist bones, and the metacarpals are the hand bones, which are beyond the wrist.

60
Q

Neoplasm

A

Any new growth of tissue

61
Q

Neoplastic

A

Pertaining to a new growth

62
Q

Neonatal

A

Pertaining to new birth.

Neonates who are born prematurely are often cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU-pronunciation is NIK-u).

63
Q

Parathyroid glands

A

Four endocrine glands behind the thyroid glands.

These maintain levels of calcium in the bones.

64
Q

Paralysis

A

Loss or impairment of movement in a part of the body.
This term came from the Greek paralytikos, meaning “one whose side was loose or weak,” as after a stroke.
Now it means loss of movement in any part of the body caused by a break in the connection between nerve and muscle.

65
Q

Paraplegia

A

Impairment or loss of movement in the lower part of the body, primarily the legs.
-PLEGIA means paralysis, and this term originally meant paralysis of any limb or side of the body.
Since the nineteenth century, however, it has indicated paralysis of the lower half of the body.

66
Q

Periosteum

A

Membrane that surrounds the bone

67
Q

Perianal

A

Pertaining to surrounding the anus

68
Q

Polyuria

A

Excessive urination

69
Q

Polyneuropathy

A

Disease of many nerves

70
Q

Polydipsia

A

Excessive thirst.

Symptoms of diabetes mellitus are polyuria and polydipsia.

71
Q

Postpartum

A

After birth

72
Q

Postmortem

A

After death

73
Q

Precancerous

A

Pertaining to a condition that may come before cancer.
An example of a precancerous lesion is a polyp (benign growth), commonly found in the colon. Polyps are often removed via colonoscopy, because they may eventually become malignant.

74
Q

Prenatal

A

Pertaining to before birth

75
Q

Prolapse

A

Falling down or dropping of a part of the body.

-LAPSE means to slide

76
Q

Prosthesis

A

Artificial substitute for a missing part of the body.

An artificial limb is a prosthesis - literally something “placed before” (as a replacement).

77
Q

Quadriplegia

A

Paralysis of all four limbs

78
Q

Relapse

A

Return of disease after its apparent termination.
Symptoms of disease return when a patient has a relapse.
Exacerbation is an increase in the severity of a disease or any of its symptoms.

79
Q

Remission

A

Lessening or absence of signs and symptoms of a disease.

Symptoms of disease lessen when the disease goes into remission.

80
Q

Resection

A

Removal of an organ or structure

81
Q

Retroperitoneal

A

Pertaining to behind the peritoneum.

The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs.

82
Q

Subcostal

A

Pertaining to below the ribs

83
Q

Subcutaneous

A

Lower layer of the skin composed of fatty tissues.

84
Q

Subtotal

A

Less then total.

A subtotal Gastrectomy is a particular resection of the stomach.

85
Q

Subscapular

A

Pertaining to under the shoulder blade.
The scapula is the shoulder bone.
The clavicle is the collarbone, and the humerus is the upper arm bone.

86
Q

Syndrome

A

Set of symptoms and signs that occur together to indicate a disease condition.
-DROME means running or occurring.
A syndrome is a group of symptoms and signs of illness that occur together.

87
Q

Tachycardia

A

Condition of fast rapid heart beat

88
Q

Tachypnea

A

Condition of rapid breathing

89
Q

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syrdrome (AIDS)

A

Serve infections, malignant (Kaposi sarcoma and lymphoma), fever, malaise (discomfort), and gastrointestinal disturbances. It is caused by a virus that damages lymphocytes (white blood cells).

90
Q

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A

Pain, tingling, burning, and numbness of hand and wrist. A nerve leading to the hand is compressed by connective tissue fibers in the wrist.

91
Q

Down Syndrome

A

Mental retardation, flat face with a short nose, slanted eyes, broad hands and feet, stubby fingers, and protruding lower lip. The syndrome occurs when an extra chromosome is present in each cell of the body

92
Q

Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome

A

Abnormal sounds (murmurs) heard through a stethoscope placed on the chest. These murmurs indicate that the mitral valve is not closing properly. Chest pain, dyspnea (difficult breathing), and fatigue are other symptoms.

93
Q

Toxic Shock Syndrome

A

High fever vomiting, diarrhea, rash, hypotension (low blood pressure) and shock. It typically is caused by a bacterial infection in the vagina of menstruating women using super absorbent tampons.

94
Q

Transabdominal

A

Pertaining to across the abdomen

95
Q

Transurethral

A

Pertaining to across the urethra.
In a transurethral resection of the prostate gland (TURP), pieces of the prostate gland are removed through the urethra. This procedure relieves symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

96
Q

Tricuspid valve

A

Fold of tissue between the upper and lower chambers on the right side of the heart.
-CUSPID means “pointed end”, as of a spear. The tricuspid valve is on the right side of the heart, while the mitral (bicuspid) valve is on the left side of the heart.

97
Q

Ultrasonography

A

Recording of internal body structures with sound waves

98
Q

Unilateral

A

Pertaining to one side

99
Q

Exophthalmos

A

Abnormal protrusion of the eyes

100
Q

Goiter

A

Enlarged thyroid glands

Medical Terminology (22 decks)

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