Medical Terminology Flashcards
Afebrile
without fever
Apical pulse
heartbeat from the apex of the heart
Bradycardia
slow heart rate, lower than 60 beats per minute
Bradypnea
Slow respiratory rate, slower than 12 breathers per minute
Diastolic pressure
the bottom number in a blood pressure reading
measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats
Oxygen saturation
a measurement of how much oxygen in your blood
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Hypotension
Low blood pressure
Orthostatic hypotension
a form of low blood pressure that happens when standing after standing or laying down
Tachycardia
fast heart rate over 100 beats per minute caused by an irregular heart rhythm
Tachypnea
Rapid and shallow breathing
Gingivitis
inflammation of the gingiva, the tissue that surrounds the teeth
Stomatitiss
inflammation of the oral mucosa
Alopecia
Absence or loss of hair
Callus
Thickened or hardened skin that forms as a response to repeated friction, pressure or other irritations
Decubitis
also known as a bed sore or pressure ulcer or sore
develops from unrelieved pressure on the skin, causing damage to the skin and underlying tissue
Dental Caries
also known as dental decay or cavities,
areas of damage on the hard surface of the teeth
Effleurage
also known as a massage
long, deep, unbroken strokes
maceration
the softening of a solid by soaking
Mucositis
inflammation of a mucous membrane
Perineal Care
Maintenance of the perineal skin and integrity
Skin tears
acute, traumatic injury that results from some mechanical force such as shearing or friction
Xerosis
abnormal dryness of the eyes, skin or mouth
Hypoventilation
decreased rate and depth, irregular
Hyperventilation
Increased rate and depth
Cheyne-Stokes respirations
alternating periods of deep, rapid breathing followed by periods of apnea; regular
Biot’s respirations
varying depth and rate of breathing, followed by periods of apnea; irregular
Orthopnea
inability to breathe without sitting upright
Systolic
peak of maximum ejection from the heart
Pulse pressure
difference between systolic and diastolic
pulse deficit
difference between apical and peripheral pulse
Stoke volume
the amount of blood ejected out of the left ventricle with heartbeat
Cardiac output
= Stroke volume x pulse rate
korotkoff sounds
sounds of the systolic and diastolic sounds
Cerumen
earwax
Cheilosis
Inflammation of the lips
Glossitis
Inflammation of the tongue
Halitosis
bad breath
Pediculosis
Body lice
Periodontitis
A serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around the teeth
Plaque
a sticky deposit on teeth
Tartar
a hardened plaque that forms on your teeth and can lead to gum disease and cavities
Aseptic Technique
A method used to prevent contamination with microorganisms
Body mechanics
The way the body moves and is held while sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, bending and sleeping
Foot drop
A term for difficulty lifting the front part of the foot
Friction
Force that resists the motion of one object against another
Healthcare Aquired Infection
Infections patients get while receiving healthcare
Hemiplegia
A condition that causes partial or complete paralysis on one side of the body
Immunocomprimised
A state in which the immune system’s ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or absent
Isolation
Separates sick people from those who are not sick
Pathogen
A living thing that can cause disease in a host
Shear
When tissue layers move in opposite directions
Surgical asepsis
Technique used to create and maintain a sterile environment
Absence of all microorganisms within any type of invasive procedure
Abduction
moving a limb or body part away from the body
Active Range of Motion
Exercises the client can perform themselves
Adduction
moving a limb or body part towards the body
Atrophy
decrease in size or wasting away of a body part of tissue
Comminuted Fracture
broken bone with multiple pieces
Compartment Syndrome
Increased pressure in a muscle compartment, causing muscle and nerve damage
Extension
opposite movement that increases the angle between two body parts
External Fixation
placing pins and screws into the bone at various points
Flexion
bending or curving of a joint in a limb
Kinesthetic
involves physical movement and hands on learning
Passive Range of Motion
the client needs help to perform exercises or body movements
Pronation
Inward rotation of foot or hand
Rotation
the act of rotating, turning around on an axis
Supination
Outward rotation of foot or hand
Anorexia
Distorted body image, unwarranted fear of being overweight
Aspiration
Breathing in a foreign object into the lungs
Basal Metabolic Rate
the rate of energy expenditure of a person at rest
Body Mass Index
a medical screening tool that measures the ratio of your height to your weight to estimate the amount of body fat you have.
Cachexia
complex metabolic syndrome that causes significant loss of muscle and fat mass
Dysphagia
Swallowing difficulties
Malnutrition
lack of proper nutrition
Paralytic ileus
condition that occurs when the muscles of the intestines stop working properly, preventing food from pasding through.
Parenteral Nutrition
way to receive nutrients by bypassing your digestive system
Peristalsis
series of involuntary muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract and urine from the kidneys to the bladder
Candidiasis
common fungal infection caused by the overgrowth of Candida yeast.
Cryotherapy
A treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and remove abnormal tissue.
Expectorate
cough or spit up phlegm from the throat or lungs
Glucometer
a device for measuring the concentration of glucose in the blood, typically using a small drop of blood placed on a disposable test strip
Guaiac Test
a test that is used to detect hidden blood in the stool
Hibiclens
An antiseptic that fights bacteria
Hypercapnia
condition that occurs when a person has too much carbon dioxide in their bloodstream
Sputum
a mixture of saliva and mucous produced by the lungs as a result or viral or bacterial infections
Anaphylaxis
A serious life-threatening allergic reaction which usually occurs within a few seconds or minutes of exposure to allergic substances
Antianginal
Used in the treatment of angina pectoris, a symptom of ischemic heart disease
Buccal
relating to the cheek
Dermatologic
pertaining to dermatology; of or affecting the skin
Mydriatics
eye drops that dilate the pupil and relax the focusing muscles.
Opthalmic
something that has relation to the eye
Otic
an adjective that relates to or is located in the region of the ear
Parenteral
administered or occurring elsewhere in the body other than the mouth and alimentary canal
Peak
can relate to the highest medication level in the blood
Pharmacokinetics
the study of how a drug moves into, through and out of the body
Pruritis
commonly known as itchy skin, an unpleasant sensation of the skin that provokes the urge to scratch
Suspension
different meanings;
a liquid with small pieces of a drug, where the drug is not completely dissolved in the solution
Transdermal
refers to medication that is supplied in a form for absorption through the skin into the bloodstream
Trough
indicates the lowest concentration of medication in the blood
Vertigo
a sudden internal or external spinning sensation that is triggered by quick movement of the head
Biological half life
the time taken for concentration of a biological substance to decrease from its max concentration to half in the blood plasma.
Epidural
A procedure that involves injecting a medication - either an anesthetic or steroid - into the space around your spinal nerves known as the epidural space
Idiosyncratic reaction
a rare and unpredictable adverse drug reaction that is not related to the dose or the pharmacologic action of the drug
Intradermal
a shallow or superficial injection of a substance into the dermis
Intramuscular
a technique used to deliver a medication deep into the muscles
Intraveneous
situated, performed or occurring within or entering by way of a vein
medication error
any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional.
Colloids
a mixture in which one substance consisting of microscopically dispersed insoluble particles is suspended throughout another substance
Hypertonic
A solution with a higher concentration
Hypotonic
A solution with a lower concentration
Irrigations
Flushing an organ, body cavity or wound out with fluid
Infusion
a method of delivering medication, fluids, or nutrients directly into the bloodstream
Isotonic
When the concentration is the same outside the cell as it is inside the cell,
Parenteral Administration
refers to the administration of drugs or fluids by any route other than the GI Tract
Polypharmacy
When you take five or more medications each day
Protein binding
phenomenon that occurs when a drug combines with plasma or extracellular or tissue proteins form a drug-protein complex
Rh Factor
an inherited protein on red blood cells that can affect pregnancy
Apnea
a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts
Aspirate
breathe in; inhale
Atelectasis
the collapse of a lung or part of a lung due to air loss in the air sacs
Chest percussion
a technique that involves clapping or vibrating the chest or back to loosen mucous in the lungs
Chest physiotherapy
involves a variety of techniques designed to help clear mucous and secretions from the lungs
Dyspnea
shortness of breath
Expectorate
to eject or expel matter such as phlegm from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting
Hemoptysis
a medical condition that causes a person to cough up blood or blood-stained mucous from the bronchi, larynx, trachea or lungs
Hemothorax
a serious condition in which blood collects in the pleural space
Hypoxia
low levels of oxygen in the body tissues
Incentive Spirometer
a device that helps your lungs
Kussmaul’s respirations
a sign of metabolic acidosis, usually diabetes related
Dysuria
a symptom of pain or burning when urinating
Glucosuria
Prescence of glucose in the urine
Hematuria
Blood in the urine
Hesitancy
difficulty starting or maintaining a stream of urine
Nocturia
When someone wakes up more than once through the night to pee
Oliguria
low urine output
Residual urine
the amount of urine that remains in your bladder after you urinate
Retention
when the bladder doesn’t completely empty or empty at all when you urinate
Polyuria
excessive urination
Urgency
when you suddenly need to pee
Cathartic
medications that cause the evacuation of the entire colon
Enema
fluids or solutions inserted through the anal canal which help stimulate the emptying of the bowel
Hemorrhoids
swollen veins in the lower part of the rectum and anus that causes bleeding and discomfort
Melena
Black stool, comes from bleeding in the upper GI tract
Ostomy
a surgical procedure that creates an opening in the body for discharge of body wastes
Paralytic ileus
functional problem of the muscles and nerves that mimics an intestinal obstruction even when nothing is obstructing them
Peristalsis
involuntary wave like contractions of the muscles in the digestive tract
Blanchable hyperemia
characterized by skin that is reddened and turns white when pressure is applied and turns red again when pressure is released
Debridement
the medical process of removing dead, damaged or infected tissue
Dehiscence
the splitting or bursting open of a pod or wound
Eschar
dark, crusty tissue that forms at the bottom or top of a wound
Evisceration
the extrusion of viscera outside of the body
Granulation
the process of forming granulation tissue
SLough
a layer or mass of dead tissue separated from surrounding living tissue
Ecchymosis
medical term for a bruise
Tissue Ischemia
restriction of arterial blood flow to tissue
