Glossary

Question 1

ankle-brachial index (ABI)

Answer 1

the ratio of the blood pressure at the ankle to the blood pressure in the upper arm (brachium).

Question 2

cardiac edema

Answer 2

Cardiac edema occurs when the heart’s diseased or overworked LEFT VENTRICLE (heart’s lower chamber) isn’t able to pump out enough of the blood it receives from your lungs. This causes the heart to hold an excess amount of fluid; therefore, swelling

Question 3

Cardiac arrhythmia

Answer 3

irregular heartbeat

Question 4

Cellulitis

Answer 4

Inflammation of subcutaneous connective tissue

Question 5

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Answer 5

stroke

Question 6

Improper functioning of the vein valves in the leg, causing swelling and skin changes.
Normally, the vein valves keep blood moving back toward the heart

Answer 6

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

Question 7

Congestive heart failure (CHF)

Answer 7

a condition in which the heart’s function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body’s needs

Question 8

deep venous thrombosis (DVT)

Answer 8

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling. Sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms.

Question 9

Diabetes

Answer 9

A group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose).

Question 10

Hyperthyroidism

Answer 10

occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. Hyperthyroidism can accelerate your body’s metabolism, causing unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat

Question 11

Hypoproteinemia

Answer 11

Abnormally low level of protein in the blood

Question 12

Hypothyroidism

Answer 12

abnormally low activity of thyroid gland

Question 13

Nephrology

Answer 13

The study of diseases and physiology of the kidneys

Question 14

Peripheral artery disease

Answer 14

Peripheral artery disease is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries that carry blood away from the heart to other parts of the body. The most common type is lower-extremity PAD, in which blood flow is reduced to the legs and feet

Question 15

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)

Answer 15

narrowing or occlusion by atherosclerotic plaques of arteries outside of the heart and brain.

Question 16

Pulmonary edema

Answer 16

Fluid in the lungs

Question 17

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

Answer 17

a blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance that has moved from elsewhere in the body through the bloodstream (embolism)

Question 18

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)

Answer 18

characterized by a group of symptoms including pain (often “BURNING” type), tenderness, and swelling of an extremity associated with varying degrees of SWEATING, WARMTH, and/or COOLNESS, FLUSHING, DISCOLORATION, and SHINY skin

Question 19

rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Answer 19

joint inflammation and pain. It happens when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the joints, called the synovium. The disease commonly affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both hands or both knees. But sometimes RA causes problems in other parts of the body as well, such as the eyes, heart and circulatory system and/or the lungs

Question 20

Sick sinus syndrome

Answer 20

a type of heart rhythm disorder. It affects the heart’s natural pacemaker (sinus node), which controls the heartbeat

Question 21

Thyroid disease

Answer 21

Any dysfunction of the butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck (thyroid)

Question 22

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Answer 22

A mini stroke

Question 23

Abduction

Answer 23

the action of certain muscles in pulling a leg, arm, etc away from the median axis of the body

Question 24

Adduction

Answer 24

the movement of a limb or other part toward the midline of the body or toward another part

Question 25

Ambulation

Answer 25

walk

Question 26

Parasternal

Answer 26

Beside the sternum

Question 27

Paravertebral

Answer 27

Located near the vertebral column

Question 28

Plantar

Answer 28

The soul of your foot