Definitions/Differences Flashcards
Diagnosis
Identification of a disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs, symptoms, history, tests, and procedures
Prognosis
Predicted outcome of a disease (poor, good, excellent, etc.)
Acute
Having a short and relatively severe course
Chronic
The disease is long lasting
Signs
Objective, or definitive, evidence of an illness or disordered function that are perceive by an examiner (ex: fever, rash, evidence established by radiologic or laboratory testing)
Symptoms
Subjective evidence as perceived by the patient (Ex: Pain)
Pulse
rhythmic expansion of an artery that occurs as the heart beats
Respiration
Either to the exchange of O2 and CO2 within the body, or to breathing
Body Temperature
Can be determined by ear, mouth, rectum, forehead, and under the arm
Blood Pressure
Pressure exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the walls of the arteries and veins and on the chambers of the heart.
4 Basic Examination Procedures
Pulse, Respiration, Body temperature, and Blood pressure
Systolic Pressure
Higher reading
Diastolic Pressure
Lower reading
4 Techniques useful in Physical Examinations
Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
Inspection
Uses eyes and ears to observe and listen to the patient
Palpation
Feels the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts with the hands.
Percussion
Tap on the body with the fingertips or fist to evaluate the size, borders, and consistency of internal organs to determine amount of fluid
Auscultation
Listens for sounds withing the body to evaluation the heart, blood vessels, lungs, intestines, or other organs
CT (is short for)
Computed tomography
MRI (is short for)
Magnetic resonance imaging
Sonography
Process of imaging deep structures of the body by sending and receiving high frequency sound waves that are reflected back as echos for tissues
Contrast imaging
Use of radiopaque materials to make internal organs visible on x-ray images
