Common Medical Conditions Flashcards
atherosclerosis
condition in which plaque builds up on the walls of the blood vessels; worsened by a diet high in cholesterol
coronary artery disease (CAD)
condition caused by atherosclerosis that reduces blood flow through the coronary arteries (and thus oxygen delivery) to the heart muscle
acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
term used to describe sudden reduced blood flow to one or more coronary arteries that can result in cardiac muscle death if left untreated
angina
chest pain caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle
unstable angina
condition in which blood flow and oxygen in one or more of the coronary arteries is partially blocked causing chest pain
myocardial infarction (MI)
condition in which blood flow and oxygen in one or more of the coronary arteries is suddenly completely blocked, this results in muscle death (heart attack)
ST elevation myocardial infarction (stemi)
sudden blockage of coronary artery with EKG findings significant for ST segment elevation
Non-stemi
sudden blockage of coronary artery without EKG findings significant for ST segment elevation
cardiac dysrhythmia
abnormality in the physiological rate or rhythm of the heart
supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
abnormal heart rhythm arising from aberrant electrical activity in the heart; originates at or above the AV node
atrial fibrillation (a-fib)
irregular and often very fast heart rate originating from abnormal conduction in the artira
ventricular tachycardia
abnormal heart rhythm that arises from improper electrical conduction in the ventricles
congestive heart failure (chf)
condition in which the heart cannot pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs, resulting in build-up of fluid in the extremities and/or lungs
hypertension (htn)
high blood pressure
hyperlipidemia
high lipid levels
hypercholesterolemia
high cholesterol levels
upper respiratory infection (uri)
infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by bacteria or viruses, known as the common cold
influenza
infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by influenza viruses, known as a flu
bronchitis
inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes
pneumonia
inflammation/infection of one or both lungs
pleural effusion
excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity and can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs
empyema
presence of pus in the body cavity
pneumothorax (ptx)
abnormal collection of air in the pleural space which can cause all or part of the lung to collapse
hemothorax (htx)
abnormal accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity
asthma
chronic inflammatory lung disease in which airways become inflamed, resulting in excess mucous production and airway narrowing
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd)
chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow in the lungs and is not fully reversible; this is often associated with years of smoking
pulmonary embolism (pe)
blood clot in one or more of the pulmonary arteries
deep venous thrombosis (dvt)
a blood clot in the deep venous system of the arms or legs which can break off and cause a PE (not a respiratory system disease)
appendicitis
inflammation of appendix; generally caused by an infection
gastritis
inflammation of lining of the stomach
gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd)
acid reflux, aka heartburn
gastroenteritis
inflammation/infection of the stomach and intestines which causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
biliary colic
pain in the gallbladder caused by gallstones obstructing the bile flow
cholecystitis
inflammation/infection of the gallbladder
cholelithiasis
presence of stones in the gallbladder
choledocholithiasis
gallstones that become stuck in the gallbladder
pancreatitis
inflammation of the pancreas
hepatitis
inflammation of the liver
cirrhosis
liver disease; chronic degenerative disease in which normal liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue
ascites
fluid in the peritoneal cavity, most often caused by liver cirrhosis or tumors
small bowel obstruction (sbo)
blockage in the intestinal tract
diverticulosis
finger-like projections in the large intestine called diverticuli
diverticulitis
inflammation/infection of the diverticuli requiring antibiotic treatment
gastrointestinal bleed (gi bleed)
bleeding in the upper or lower GI tract
hemorrhoids
swollen veins in the lower rectum
cerebrovascular accident (cva)
a stroke- two types exist, hemorrhagic and ischemic
ischemic cva
a stroke caused by a sudden blockage of a blood vessel in the brain
hemorrhagic cva
stroke caused by sudden bleeding in the brain
subarachnoid hemorrhage (sah)
bleeding within the subarachnoid space, an area between brain and thin tissues that cover the brain; usually caused by a ruptured brain aneurysm or AVM
transient ischemic attack (tia)
stroke-like symptoms that completely resolve in less than 24 hours
bell’s palsy
paralysis of the facial nerve (cranial nerve 7), causing muscular weakness to one side of the face, can be confused with a stroke
seizure
uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that may cause physical convulsions
pseudoseizure
psychogenic nonepileptic seizure that can be either organic or psychogenic (fake seizures for attention)
meningitis
inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord; most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection
encephalitis
inflammation of brain tissue, usually caused by infection
