COMMON MEDICAL CONDITIONS (DISEASES) Flashcards
a condition in which “plaque” builds up on the walls of the blood vessels; worsened by a diet high in cholesterol
atherosclerosis
a condition caused by atherosclerosis that reduces the blood flow through the coronary arteries (and thus oxygen delivery) to the heart muscle
coronary artery disease (CAD)
a term used to describe sudden reduced blood flow to one or more coronary arteries that can result in cardiac muscle death if left untreated
acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
chest pain caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle
angina
a condition in which blood flow and oxygen in one or more of the coronary arteries is PARTIALLY BLOCKED causing chest pain
unstable angina
a condition in which blood flow and oxygen in one or more of the coronary arteries is suddenly COMPLETELY BLOCKED; this results in heart muscle death.
myocardial infarction (MI)
a sudden blockage of a coronary artery WITH EKG findings significant for ST segment elevation
ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
a sudden blockage of a coronary artery WITHOUT EKG findings significant for ST segment elevation
Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)
an abnormality in the physiological rate or rhythm of the heart
cardiac dysrhythmia
an abnormal heart rhythm arising from aberrant electrical activity in the heart; originates at or above the AV node
supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
an irregular and often very fast heart rate originating from abnormal conduction in the atria
atrial fibrillation (A-fib)
an abnormal heart rhythm that arises from improper electrical conduction in the ventricles
ventricular fibrillation (V-fib)
a 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
congestive heart failure (CHF)
high blood pressure
hypertension (HTN)
high lipid levels
hyperlipidemia
high cholesterol levels
hypercholesterolemia
an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by bacteria or viruses (aka common cold)
upper respiratory tract infection (URI)
an infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by influenza viruses (aka flu)
influenza
an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes
bronchitis
an inflammation/infection of one or both lungs
pneumonia
excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity and can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs
pleural effusion
the presence of pus in the respiratory (or body) cavity
empyema
an abnormal collection of air in the pleural space which can cause all or part of the lung to collapse
pneumothorax (PTX)
an abnormal accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity
hemothorax (HTX)
a chronic inflammatory lung disease in which airways become inflamed, resulting in excess mucous production and airway narrowing
asthma
a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow in the lungs and is not fully reversible; this is often associated with years of smoking
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
a blood clot in one or more of the pulmonary arteries
pulmonary embolism (PE)
a blood clot in the deep venous system of the arms or legs which can break off and cause a pulmonary embolism
deep venous thrombosis (DVT)
inflammation of appendix (generally caused by infection)
appendicitis
inflammation of the lining of the stomach
gastritis
acid reflux (aka heartburn)
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
inflammation/infection of the stomach and intestines which causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
gastroenteritis
pain in the gallbladder caused by gallstones obstructing bile flow
biliary colic
inflammation/infection of the gallbladder
cholecystitis
the presence of stones in the gallbladder (gallstones)
cholelithiasis
gallstone that become stuck in the bile ducts
choledocholithiasis
inflammation of the pancreas
pancreatitis
inflammation of the liver
hepatitis
liver disease; a chronic degenerative disease in which normal liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue
cirrhosis
fluid in the peritoneal cavity, most often caused by liver cirrhosis or tumors
ascites
blockage in the intestinal tract
small bowel obstruction (SBO)
finger-like projections in the large intestine called diverticuli
diverticulosis
inflammation/infection of diverticuli requiring antibiotic treatment
diverticulitis
bleeding in the upper or lower GI tract
gastrointestinal bleed (GI bleed)
swollen veins in the lower rectum
hemorrhoids
a stroke (two types: ischemic or hemorrhagic)
cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
a stroke caused by sudden BLOCKAGE of a blood vessel in the brain
ischemic CVA (stroke)
a stroke caused by a sudden BLEED in the brain
hemorrhagic CVA (stroke)
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 (arteriovenous malformation)
subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
stroke-like symptoms that completely resolve in less than 24 hours; it only lasts a few minutes and it occurs when blood flow to the brain is briefly interrupted
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
paralysis of the facial nerve (CN VII), causing muscular weakness to one side of the face; it can be confused with a stroke
Bell’s Palsy
uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that may cause physical convulsions
seizure
psychogenic non-epileptic seizures that can be either organic or psychogenic (faking seizures)
pseudoseizure
inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord, most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection
meningitis
inflammation of the brain tissue, usually caused by an infection
encephalitis
inflammation of the skin
dermatitis
bacterial skin infection
cellulitis
a collection of pus that forms in the tissues, organs, or spaces inside the body
abscess
superficial fungal infection of the skin
tinea
inflammation around hair follicles
folliculitis
infection of skin around nail beds
paronychia
chronic autoimmune skin disease with large scaly patches of skin
psoriasis
contagious bacterial skin infection that appears as fluid filled blisters
impetigo
most common form of skin cancer
basal cell carcinoma
most dangerous form of skin cancer
melanoma
skin cancer (2nd most common) can involve organs
squamous cell carcinoma
unexplained hair loss or balding
alopecia
ringing in the ears
tinnitus
middle ear infection
otitis media
outer ear infection
otitis externa
ear pain without infection
otalgia
inflammation of the mastoid bone
mastoiditis
disorder of the inner ear, causing vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss
Meniere’s Disease
inflammation of the inner ear canals
labrynthitis
inflammation/infection of pharynx
pharyngitis
inflammation of the epiglottis
epiglottitis
collection of infected pus surrounding tonsils
peritonsillar abscess
connective between the mandible and skull
temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
double vision
diplopia
bulging of the eyes out of the sockets
proptosis
inflammation of membrane lining the eyes (seen with pink eye)
conjunctivitis
damage to the center of the retina
macular degeneration
damage to the retina due to long-term diabetes
diabetic retinopathy
disease resulting in damage to the optic nerve and vision loss
glaucoma
a metabolic disease that causes abnormally high blood sugar levels (often CHILD-ONSET, insulin dependent)
diabetes mellitus I (DMI)
a metabolic disease that causes abnormally high blood sugar levels (often ADULT-ONSET, related to obesity)
diabetes mellitus II (DMII)
a life threatening condition in which abnormally high blood sugar causes ketone production and results in acidosis
diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
low blood glucose levels
hypoglycemia
high blood glucose levels
hyperglycemia
insufficient production of thyroid hormones
hypothyroidism
high sodium levels
hypernatremia
low sodium levels
hyponatremia
high potassium levels
hyperkalemia
low potassium levels
hypokalemia
low calcium levels
hypocalcemia
high calcium levels
hypercalcemia
abrupt decline of the kidney’s ability to function
acute renal failure
slow loss of kidney function over time
chronic kidney disease
complete (or almost complete) failure of kidney function
end stage renal disease
an infection of any part of the urinary system
urinary tract infection
infection/inflammation of the kidneys due to bacterial infection
pyelonephritis
kidney stone
nephrolithiasis
a kidney stone that is stuck in the ureter and causes pain
ureterolithiasis
benign enlargement of the prostate gland
benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
infection/inflammation of the prostate
prostatitis
infection/inflammation of the urinary bladder
cystitis
long-term inflammation of the bladder, often not involving infection
interstitial cystitis
involuntary leakage of urine
urinary incontinence
inability to urinate or fully empty the bladder
urinary retention
infection and inflammation of the epididymis
epididymitis
inflammation of one or more of the testicles
orchitis
a condition in which the spermatic cord suddenly twists and can cut off the blood supply to the testicles causing death
testicular torsion
absence of a menstrual period
amenorrhea
severe uterine pain with menstruation
dysmenorrhea
abnormal uterine bleeding (irregular or excessive)
dysfunctional uterine bleeding
an abnormal pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus
ectopic pregnancy
excessive vomiting in early pregnancy
hyperemesis gravidarum
pain fluid-filled lump just inside the entrance to the vagina that develops from the blockage of the Bartholin’s Gland
Bartholin’s cyst/abscess
a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus causing chronic abdominal pain
Endometriosis
venereal diseases passed from one person to another through sexual contact
sexually transmitted infections (STI)
a severe infection of the female reproductive organs usually caused by an STI
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
an inflammation of the vagina that can result in discharge, itching, and pain
vaginitis
an abnormally low red blood cell count (RBC); and low hemoglobin and hematocrit
anemia
failure of bone marrow to make enough white bone cells
neutropenia
low platelets in the blood
thrombocytopenia
too many platelets in the blood
thrombocytosis
cancer of the blood-forming tissues
leukemia
cancer of the lymphatic system
lymphoma
cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow
multiple myeloma
a blood-clotting disorder in which blood does not clot normally and can cause excessive bleeding
hemophilia
a blood-clotting disorder in which red blood cells form an abnormal crescent shape under stress and cause abnormal clotting
sickle cell anemia
bacterium that causes severe diarrhea
Clostridium Difficile (C. Diff)
infectious bacterial disease characterized by the growth of nodules in body tissue, especially the lungs
tuberculosis (TB)
the main cause of herpes (sores around the mouth or genitals)
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)
painful blistering skin rash due to varicella-zoster virus
Herpes Zoster
a virus that causes respiratory tract infections, often in children who have bronchitis
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
a virus that attacks the immune system and causes a deficiency in T-cells
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
a complete or partial break in a bone
fracture
a broken bone that maintains its proper alignment
non-displaced fracture
a broken bone that moves so it’s ends are no longer lined up
displaced fracture
a broken bone that is fragmented into a number of pieces
comminuted fracture
occurs when excessive pressure builds up inside an enclosed space in the body, often due to bleeding and/or swelling from an injury
compartment syndrome
a separation between the clavicle and the scapula, causing shoulder pain
acromioclavicular joint separation (AC joint separation)
inflammation of the Achilles tendon causing severe pain
Achilles tendonitis
a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the end of bones wear done
osteoarthritis
an inflammation or infection of the bone
osteomyelitis
a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the joints, including those in the hands and feet
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
a form of arthritis in which defective metabolism of uric acid causes uric acid to build-up in joints and causes pain
gout
inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib to the sternum
costochondritis
pain affecting the back, hip, and outer side of the leg caused by compression of the sciatic nerve
sciatica
a condition in which damaged skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly and releases breakdown products (myoglobin) into the bloodstream
rhabdomyolysis
widespread muscle pain and tenderness that is diagnosed by a specialist once other serious disorders have been excluded
fibromyalgia
a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in daily activities
depression
a mood disorder marked by periods of great excitement, euphoria, delusions, and over-activity
mania
a mood disorder marked by alternating period of mania and depression
bipolar disorder
a psychiatric diagnosis which may cause hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, or extremely disordered thinking an behavior
schizophrenia
a psychiatric diagnosis characterized by recurring episodes of various moods and loss of touch with reality; a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
schizoaffective disorder
thoughts of suicide
suicidal ideations
thoughts of homicide
homicidal ideations
hearing and seeing things that are not really there
auditory and visual hallucinations
brain disease marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning (often seen in elderly patients and gets worse over time); 60-70% of cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease
dementia
a sudden disturbed state of mind that occurs in fever, intoxication, and other disorders and is characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence of thought and speech
delirium
Tylenol overdose
acetaminophen toxicity
Aspirin overdose
salicylate toxicity
an inflammation of the bronchioles, often associated with a viral infection and usually seen in children less than 2 years old
bronchiolitis
inflammation of the larynx and trachea in young children, often associated with a viral infection
croup
benign tumors that develop in uterus and can cause pain and abnormal bleeding
uterine fibroids
