Medical Definitions Flashcards
1
Q
Define iatrogenic.
A
Conditions that inadvertently arise form medical treatment.
2
Q
Define ectopic.
A
In an abnormal place or position.
3
Q
Define ablation.
A
Removal of tissue.
4
Q
Define autoantibody.
A
Antibody produced by immune system against host tissue.
5
Q
Define autoantigen.
A
Normal protein recognised by autoantibodies.
6
Q
Define lethargy.
A
Physiological state of tiredness.
7
Q
Define paraesthesia.
A
Abnormal skin sensation.
8
Q
Define anosmia.
A
Loss of smell sense.
9
Q
Define osmolality.
A
Solute concentration per kilogram.
10
Q
Define osmolarity.
A
Solute concentration per litre.
11
Q
Define osmolar gap.
A
Difference between measured and calculated osmolality.
12
Q
Define appetite.
A
Desire to eat.
13
Q
Define anorexia.
A
Absence of appetite.
14
Q
Define hyperphagia.
A
Abnormal increase in appetite.
15
Q
Define hunger.
A
Need to eat.
16
Q
Define satiety.
A
Disappearance of appetite - feeling of fullness.
17
Q
Define cyst.
A
Sac-like structure filled with gas, fluid and/or semi-solid material.
18
Q
Define ulcer.
A
A lesion due to necrosis leading to erosion of skin or mucous membrane.
19
Q
Define narrow therapeutic range.
A
The dose range that optimises efficacy whilst minimises toxicity.
20
Q
Define differential diagnosis.
A
Differentiating between two or more conditions with similar symptoms.
21
Q
Define diagnosis of exclusion.
A
Diagnosis reached by the process of elimination.
22
Q
Define dyspnoea.
A
Shortness of breath.
23
Q
Define palpitations.
A
Noticeable rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeats.
24
Q
Define syncope.
A
Temporary loss of consciousness.
25
Define onycholysis.
Detachment of nail from nail bed.
26
Define exophthalmos.
Eyes bulging out of the orbit.
27
Define plethoric.
Red faced.
28
Define hirsutism.
Excessive hair growth where hair is usually absent or minimal.
29
Define laparoscopy.
Surgical procedure that allows access to inside of abdomen without large skin incisions.
30
Define fatigue.
Subjective feeling of tiredness.
31
Define tetany.
Intermittent muscular spasms.
32
Define carcinoid.
Neuroendocrine tumour.
33
Define pericardial effusion
Fluid accumalation in pericardial cavity.
33
Define cardiac tamponade.
Syndrome caused by fluid accumulation in pericardial space.
34
Define pleuritic chest pain.
Sudden and intense chest pain when inhaling and exhaling. Exacerbated by deep breathing, coughing, sneezing or laughing
35
Define Kussmaul’s sign.
Paradoxical JVP, rises with inspiration, falls with expiration.
36
Define failure to thrive.
Paediatric term for insufficient weight gain or inappropriate weight loss.
37
Define bruits.
Vascular murmur, abnormal sound generated by turbulent blood flow.
38
Define haemoptysis.
Coughing up blood.
39
Define dysphagia.
Difficulty in swallowing.
40
Define malar flush.
Plum-red discolouration of cheeks.
41
Define percutaneous.
Through the skin.
42
Define orthopnoea.
Shortness of breath (dyspnoea) when lying flat.
43
Define paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea.
Shortness of breath (dyspnoea) and coughing awakening patient from sleep.
44
Define wide pulse pressure.
A large difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
45
Define collapsing pulse.
A forceful pulse that rapidly increases and subsequently falls.
46
Define pulsus tardus.
A late pulse.
47
Define pulsus parvus.
A weak pulse.
48
Define Roth’s spots.
Retinal haemorrhages with pale centers.
49
Define Osler’s nodes.
Tender lesions found on fingers and toes.
50
Define Janeway lesions.
Non-tender lesions found on palms and soles.
51
Define splinter haemorrhages.
Haemorrhages of blood vessels that run vertically under nails.
52
Define vasculitis.
Inflammation of blood vessels.
53
Define hypovolaemia.
Decreased blood plasma volume.
54
Define GCS.
Glasgow Coma Scale. A neurological scale that assesses a patients consciousness.
55
Define pallor.
Unhealthy pale skin.
56
Define tachypnoea.
High respiratory rate.
57
Define stenosis.
Narrowing of a passage, e.g. blood vessel.
58
Define claudication.
Cramping pain in leg induced by exercise.
59
Define prodormal stage.
Period between onset of early signs and symptoms and onset of diagnostic signs and symptoms.
60
Define Dupuytren’s contracture.
Permanently flexed finger/s.
61
Define fetor hepaticus.
Extreme bad breath, a sign of end-stage liver failure.
62
Define asterixis.
Liver flap, hand tremor when wrist is extended.
63
Define dyspraxia.
Difficulties in co-ordination.
64
Define cholelithiasis.
Presence of gallstone in gallbladder.
65
Define Murphy’s sign.
Pain on taking a deep breath when examiner places two fingers on right upper quadrant.
66
Define empyema.
Collection of pus within pleural cavity.
67
Define gangrene.
Necrosis due to ischaemia.
68
Define choledocholithiasis.
Presence of gallstone in common bile duct.
69
Define Grey Turner’s sign.
Flank bruising.
70
Define Cullen’s sign.
Periumbilical bruising.
71
Define DIC.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, formation of blood clots throughout the body.
72
Define SIRS.
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, inflammatory state of the whole body.
73
Define pseudocyst.
Fluid-filled cavity resembling a cyst but lacking a wall or lining.
74
Define steatorrhea.
Stinking fatty stool.
75
Define hepatic steatosis.
Fatty liver.
76
Define leukonychia.
White/white spots on nails.
77
Define Terry’s nails.
Ground glass white nails.
78
Define clubbing.
Enlargement of fingertips with nails curving around.
79
Define spider angioma.
Enlarged blood vessels near the skin surface that contain a red spot with radiating reddish extensions.
80
Define congestive splenomegaly.
Enlargement of spleen due to portal hypertension.
81
Define shistososmiasis.
Disease caused by flatworms called schistosomes.
82
Define sarcoidosis.
Formation of granulomas due to abnormal collections of inflammatory cells.
83
Define haematemesis.
Blood in vomit.
84
Define fulminant hepatitis
Acute liver failure.
85
Define Kayser-Fleischer rings.
Dark rings that surround the iris due to copper deposition.
86
Define hernia.
Abnormal protrusion of an organ through its cavity wall.
87
Define rigors.
Feeling of coldness during a fever.
88
Define pruritus.
Severe itchy skin.
89
Define rigors.
Feeling of coldness during a fever.
90
Define pruritus.
Severe itchy skin.
91
Define endoscopic banding.
Rubber bands used to treat haemorrhaging varices without surgery.
92
Define transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Artificial passage created from hepatic portal vein to portal vein to treat portal hypertension.
93
Define venesection.
Removal of blood, used to treat haemochromatosis.
94
Define dysarthria.
Difficulty in speech.
95
Define dysphagia.
Difficulty swallowing.
96
Define dyskinesia.
Impaired voluntary movements.
97
Define labile emotions.
Exaggerated mood changes.
98
Define haemobilia.
Bleeding of/into biliary tree
99
Define tumour seeding.
Deposition of neoplastic cells to site adjacent from where tumour was removed.
100
Define Kussmaul’s breathing.
Deep, laboured breathing.
