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Medical Terminology > LO3.3 Common Words used in Health Care > Flashcards

LO3.3 Common Words used in Health Care Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

Abate

A

to become less intense or widespread

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2
Q

Abrasion

A

a cut or scrape; a mild injury

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3
Q

Abruption

A

A sudden breaking away or breaking off

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4
Q

Abscess

A

a collection of pus within a part of the body; often red and inflamed. Ex. abscessed tooth

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5
Q

Acute

A

illness that is of short duration; rapidly progressive; and often in need of urgent care

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6
Q

Admissions

A

The process by which a patient “checks in” to the hospital; once complete; the patient has been “Admitted”

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7
Q

Ambulance

A

Emergency vehicle used to transport patients

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8
Q

Ambulatory

A

Ability to walk; not confined to a bed

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9
Q

Analgesic

A

a type of medication to treat pain; commonly Acetaminophen (the main ingredient in Tylenol) often available without a prescription

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10
Q

Anemia

A

Patient has low RBCs per total volume of blood; has lower iron and reduced oxygen carrying capacity resulting in fatigue; etc.

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11
Q

Aneurysm

A

Abnormal dilation and thinning of a vessel; vulnerable to rupture

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12
Q

Angina

A

Refers to a tightness or squeezing sensation in the chest

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13
Q

Antibody

A

a protein made by B cells to neutralize and/or destroy specific antigens

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14
Q

Antigen

A

Anything the body considers to be “foreign”

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15
Q

Anti-Inflammatory

A

Medication available over the counter to reduce the amount of inflammation in the body in order to relive pain

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16
Q

Anti-Viral

A

Specifically designed to attack a virus; as opposed to antibiotics which attack bacteria

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17
Q

Benign

A

Means that a tumor or mass is non-cancerous

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18
Q

Biopsy

A

A medical procedure performed to remove and test a small sample of tissue; skin; or other cells; often performed when cancer is suspected

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19
Q

Blood Pressure

A

The force exerted against blood vessels as the blood flows through the body

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20
Q

Cadaver

A

From Latin “cadere” = ‘to fall’; means dead body or corpse

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21
Q

Catheter

A

A catheter is a tube inserted into the body for removing fluid; typically urine

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22
Q

Cavity

A

Hollow space in the body containing one organ or more

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23
Q

Cellulitis

A

Inflamed or infected tissue beneath the skin

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24
Q

Chronic

A

recurring and consistent; cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication; nor do they just disappear

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25
Q

Compression

A

To apply pressure to stop bleeding and/or reduce swelling

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26
Q

Congenital

A

Present at birth

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27
Q

Contractures

A

Fibrosis that prevents normal motion in tissue or joint

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28
Q

Contraindication

A

A symptom; medication or circumstance preventing the use of a drug or device as treatment

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29
Q

Contusions

A

Another way of saying bumps and bruises

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30
Q

Corpuscular

A

Referring to any small; round thing

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31
Q

Culture

A

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

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32
Q

Chief or Admitting Complaint

A

The patient’s main reason for visiting a doctor; clinic or hospital

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33
Q

Delusional

A

A false belief not grounded in reality; persistent regardless of evidence to the contrary

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34
Q

Detrimental

A

Causing harm

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35
Q

Devitalized

A

Deprived of strength and vigor

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36
Q

Disseminated

A

Scattered throughout an organ or the whole body

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37
Q

Edema

A

Swelling; tissue fluid in interstitial spaces

38
Q

Embolism

A

Another way of saying “blood clot”

39
Q

Enema

A

Introduction of a liquid to the rectum and colon to stimulate the emptying of the lower intestine

40
Q

Etiology

A

The study of the cause of disease

41
Q

Exacerbation

A

Deterioration of a condition; aggravation of symptoms

42
Q

Excision

A

partial or full cutting off or away by surgery; from Latin “to cut or destroy”

43
Q

Extremities

A

The arms and legs

44
Q

Febrile

A

Something that is related to fever

45
Q

Fracture

A

A crack or break in a bone; painful; swollen and deformed

46
Q

Homeostasis

A

Metabolic equilibrium maintained by biological mechanisms

47
Q

Hypertension

A

Another way of saying ‘high blood pressure’

48
Q

Hypotension

A

Low blood pressure

49
Q

Iatrogenic

A

Injury or illness that occurs as a result of medical care

50
Q

Idiopathic

A

Condition of uncertain or unknown cause.

51
Q

Inflammation

A

Redness or swelling; sometimes associated with fever

52
Q

Influenza

A

Influenza is a virus; most commonly called the ‘flu

53
Q

Intractable

A

Incurable or resistant to therapy

54
Q

Laceration

A

An irregular and/or jagged wound

55
Q

Lesion

A

Altered or diseased spot on tissue or skin

56
Q

Malignant

A

Result of biopsies of lesions or tumors found to be cancerous

57
Q

Metastasis(es)/Metastatic

A

To invade distant structures in the body

58
Q

Morgue

A

Storage for dead bodies until identified +/or claimed for burial

59
Q

Nocturia

A

Frequent or excessive urination after going to bed

60
Q

Non-Invasive

A

Used to describe simple medical procedures; such as ultrasounds or X-rays; that do not require surgery

61
Q

Outpatient vs. Inpatient

A

Check in and check out the same day vs. Plan to stay overnight for one or more days

62
Q

Palpate/Palpable

A

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

63
Q

Paroxysm

A

A sudden spasm or convulsion

64
Q

Petechiae

A

small; purplish dots on the skin seen in platelet deficiencies and many febrile illnesses

65
Q

Placebo

A

(in Latin means “I shall please”) Inactive substance/treatment that is administered instead of one proven to be effective

66
Q

Pneumonia

A

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria; viruses or other pathogen

67
Q

Polyp

A

A swelling or tumor that commonly forms within vascular organs; usually benign but are at risk for possibly becoming cancerous

68
Q

Prior to

A

Means “before”

69
Q

Prohibitive

A

Forbidding or restricting something

70
Q

Purulent

A

Forming or containing pus

71
Q

Referred pain

A

Pain felt in area other than the original source

72
Q

Reflux

A

Going in a backward direction

73
Q

Remission

A

Abatement of symptoms; does not mean ‘cured’

74
Q

Rigor

A

State of hardness/stiffness; paroxysmal shaking chill; often due to febrile illness; rigor mortis refers to the stiffness occurring in dead bodies

75
Q

Stimulus

A

Elicits a physiological response

76
Q

Subcutaneous

A

Beneath the skin

77
Q

Subsiding

A

Synonym of “abate’; to become less intense or widespread

78
Q

Surgery

A

Correction and repair of deformities; defects and injury; to diagnose and cure using open visualization of the field and excision

79
Q

Susceptible

A

Being more at risk for getting a disease; infection; or virus

80
Q

Suture

A

To unite by stitching with thread; wire; or other material

81
Q

Syncope

A

Acute and transient loss of consciousness = fainting

82
Q

Syndrome

A

A set of symptoms that indicate towards a certain condition; disease; or abnormality

83
Q

Terminal

A

Condition that is incurable or fatal

84
Q

Topical

A

Medication or cream to be applied only on the skin or the wound

85
Q

Triage

A

Screening and prioritizing patients based on the severity of their chief complaints

86
Q

Ulceration

A

An open sore that forms on mucous membranes or linings

87
Q

Urgency

A

Sudden and uncontrollable need to urinate

88
Q

Urinalysis

A

Analysis of a urine sample using a dipstick/analyzer; possible microscopic evaluation

89
Q

Varicose vein

A

Distended; swollen; knotted veins

90
Q

Vertigo

A

The sensation of moving around in space; or objects moving around

Medical Terminology (18 decks)

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