LO3.3 Common Words used in Health Care Flashcards
Abate
to become less intense or widespread
Abrasion
a cut or scrape; a mild injury
Abruption
A sudden breaking away or breaking off
Abscess
a collection of pus within a part of the body; often red and inflamed. Ex. abscessed tooth
Acute
illness that is of short duration; rapidly progressive; and often in need of urgent care
Admissions
The process by which a patient “checks in” to the hospital; once complete; the patient has been “Admitted”
Ambulance
Emergency vehicle used to transport patients
Ambulatory
Ability to walk; not confined to a bed
Analgesic
a type of medication to treat pain; commonly Acetaminophen (the main ingredient in Tylenol) often available without a prescription
Anemia
Patient has low RBCs per total volume of blood; has lower iron and reduced oxygen carrying capacity resulting in fatigue; etc.
Aneurysm
Abnormal dilation and thinning of a vessel; vulnerable to rupture
Angina
Refers to a tightness or squeezing sensation in the chest
Antibody
a protein made by B cells to neutralize and/or destroy specific antigens
Antigen
Anything the body considers to be “foreign”
Anti-Inflammatory
Medication available over the counter to reduce the amount of inflammation in the body in order to relive pain
Anti-Viral
Specifically designed to attack a virus; as opposed to antibiotics which attack bacteria
Benign
Means that a tumor or mass is non-cancerous
Biopsy
A medical procedure performed to remove and test a small sample of tissue; skin; or other cells; often performed when cancer is suspected
Blood Pressure
The force exerted against blood vessels as the blood flows through the body
Cadaver
From Latin “cadere” = ‘to fall’; means dead body or corpse
Catheter
A catheter is a tube inserted into the body for removing fluid; typically urine
Cavity
Hollow space in the body containing one organ or more
Cellulitis
Inflamed or infected tissue beneath the skin
Chronic
recurring and consistent; cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication; nor do they just disappear
Compression
To apply pressure to stop bleeding and/or reduce swelling
Congenital
Present at birth
Contractures
Fibrosis that prevents normal motion in tissue or joint
Contraindication
A symptom; medication or circumstance preventing the use of a drug or device as treatment
Contusions
Another way of saying bumps and bruises
Corpuscular
Referring to any small; round thing
Culture
A test that is performed on urine; saliva; or other body substances to determine if a particular virus or bacteria is present in the body
Chief or Admitting Complaint
The patient’s main reason for visiting a doctor; clinic or hospital
Delusional
A false belief not grounded in reality; persistent regardless of evidence to the contrary
Detrimental
Causing harm
Devitalized
Deprived of strength and vigor
Disseminated
Scattered throughout an organ or the whole body
Edema
Swelling; tissue fluid in interstitial spaces
Embolism
Another way of saying “blood clot”
Enema
Introduction of a liquid to the rectum and colon to stimulate the emptying of the lower intestine
Etiology
The study of the cause of disease
Exacerbation
Deterioration of a condition; aggravation of symptoms
Excision
partial or full cutting off or away by surgery; from Latin “to cut or destroy”
Extremities
The arms and legs
Febrile
Something that is related to fever
Fracture
A crack or break in a bone; painful; swollen and deformed
Homeostasis
Metabolic equilibrium maintained by biological mechanisms
Hypertension
Another way of saying ‘high blood pressure’
Hypotension
Low blood pressure
Iatrogenic
Injury or illness that occurs as a result of medical care
Idiopathic
Condition of uncertain or unknown cause.
Inflammation
Redness or swelling; sometimes associated with fever
Influenza
Influenza is a virus; most commonly called the ‘flu
Intractable
Incurable or resistant to therapy
Laceration
An irregular and/or jagged wound
Lesion
Altered or diseased spot on tissue or skin
Malignant
Result of biopsies of lesions or tumors found to be cancerous
Metastasis(es)/Metastatic
To invade distant structures in the body
Morgue
Storage for dead bodies until identified +/or claimed for burial
Nocturia
Frequent or excessive urination after going to bed
Non-Invasive
Used to describe simple medical procedures; such as ultrasounds or X-rays; that do not require surgery
Outpatient vs. Inpatient
Check in and check out the same day vs. Plan to stay overnight for one or more days
Palpate/Palpable
Act of touching a patient to locate a vein; feel their organs and to position them/ Things that can be felt externally; esp. bony landmarks
Paroxysm
A sudden spasm or convulsion
Petechiae
small; purplish dots on the skin seen in platelet deficiencies and many febrile illnesses
Placebo
(in Latin means “I shall please”) Inactive substance/treatment that is administered instead of one proven to be effective
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria; viruses or other pathogen
Polyp
A swelling or tumor that commonly forms within vascular organs; usually benign but are at risk for possibly becoming cancerous
Prior to
Means “before”
Prohibitive
Forbidding or restricting something
Purulent
Forming or containing pus
Referred pain
Pain felt in area other than the original source
Reflux
Going in a backward direction
Remission
Abatement of symptoms; does not mean ‘cured’
Rigor
State of hardness/stiffness; paroxysmal shaking chill; often due to febrile illness; rigor mortis refers to the stiffness occurring in dead bodies
Stimulus
Elicits a physiological response
Subcutaneous
Beneath the skin
Subsiding
Synonym of “abate’; to become less intense or widespread
Surgery
Correction and repair of deformities; defects and injury; to diagnose and cure using open visualization of the field and excision
Susceptible
Being more at risk for getting a disease; infection; or virus
Suture
To unite by stitching with thread; wire; or other material
Syncope
Acute and transient loss of consciousness = fainting
Syndrome
A set of symptoms that indicate towards a certain condition; disease; or abnormality
Terminal
Condition that is incurable or fatal
Topical
Medication or cream to be applied only on the skin or the wound
Triage
Screening and prioritizing patients based on the severity of their chief complaints
Ulceration
An open sore that forms on mucous membranes or linings
Urgency
Sudden and uncontrollable need to urinate
Urinalysis
Analysis of a urine sample using a dipstick/analyzer; possible microscopic evaluation
Varicose vein
Distended; swollen; knotted veins
Vertigo
The sensation of moving around in space; or objects moving around
