Medical Terminology

Question 1

abrasion

Answer 1

the rubbing or scrapping of the surface layer from an area of the skin or mucous membrane

Question 2

abscess

Answer 2

an enclosed collection of pus somewhere in the body, most often involving the skin

Question 3

Acute

Answer 3

of sudden onset and/or short in duration (typically referring to disease); can also be used as a relative word to imply an illness is more severe

Question 4

affect (noun)

Answer 4

a psychological term for the observable expression of emotion; common abnormal affects may be “flat” or “blunted”

Question 5

Arrhythmia

Answer 5

an alteration in the rhythm of the heartbeat either in time or force

Question 6

auscultation

Answer 6

the act of listening to sounds arising from within organs (as in the lungs or heart) as an aid to diagnosis and treatment

Question 7

baseline

Answer 7

referring to the typical or daily status of someone or something (Ex: At baseline she is pretty sharp, but today she can’t seem to remember the names of her children.)

Question 8

benign

Answer 8

of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life

Question 9

Bradycardia

Answer 9

objectively categorized slow heart rate, typically below 60 bpm

Question 10

Chronic

Answer 10

lasting relatively long in duration, typically at least three months

Question 11

Contusion

Answer 11

injury to tissue with skin discoloration without skin breakage from blunt trauma; commonly known as a bruise

Question 12

Cervical

Answer 12

pertaining to the neck (also may be pertaining to the cervix with context)

Question 13

Dentition

Answer 13

the character of a set of teeth especially with regard to their number, kind, and arrangement

Question 14

Distention

Answer 14

generally refers to an enlargement of ballooning effect

Question 15

Diuretic

Answer 15

a medication or other agent that causes a reduction of the water present in the body; most commonly a medication such as Lasix that causes frequent urination to expel extra fluid in patients with congestive heart failure

Question 16

Dyspnea

Answer 16

difficult or labored breathing; shortness of breath

Question 17

Dysuria

Answer 17

difficult or painful discharge of urine, typically in the presence of irritation from infection

Question 18

Ecchymosis

Answer 18

similar to a contusion but specifically an area of bluish discoloration >1 cm in diameter; different in that it may not necessarily result from trauma; also commonly known as “bruising”

Question 19

Edema

Answer 19

an abnormal infiltration and excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue or a serous cavity, typically seen as swelling

Question 20

Emesis

Answer 20

medical term for vomit

Question 21

Erythema

Answer 21

abnormal rednessof the skin; in the presence of inflammation, injury, or infection

Question 22

Exudate

Answer 22

a protein-rich fluid that oozes from blood vessels to surrounding tissues in the presence of inflammation

Question 23

Febrile

Answer 23

having or showing the symptoms of a fever

Question 24

Friction rub

Answer 24

a sound heard on auscultation caused by the rubbing together of two serous surfaces; commonly called simply a “rub”

Question 25

Gallop

Answer 25

an abnormal third or fourth heart sound beyond the typical “lub dub” pattern

Question 26

Hematuria

Answer 26

the presence of red blood cells in urine, most commonly with kidney stones

Question 27

Hemorrhage

Answer 27

a copious discharge of blood from the vessels

Question 28

Hernia

Answer 28

a general term used to describe the bulge or protrusion of an organ through the structure or muscle that usually contains it

Question 29

Jaundice

Answer 29

an abnormal yellowing, typically of the skin and/or eyes, from abnormally high levels of bilirubin in the blood

Question 30

Laceration

Answer 30

a cut of the skin typically caused by accidental contact with a sharp object or edge; contrast with incision (intentional) and abrasion (superficial scrape only)

Question 31

Mood

Answer 31

a sustained and pervasive state of emotion

Question 32

Narcotic (medication)

Answer 32

a class of analgesic medications used to treat severe pain by blunting the senses (examples include Morphine, Hydrocodone, and Dilaudid)

Question 33

Normocephalic

Answer 33

the head and its major structures are in normal condition

Question 34

Pallor

Answer 34

deficiency of color especially of the face and/or skin; noun form of the adjective pale

Question 35

Palpation

Answer 35

the act of examining something by touch

Question 36

palpitation

Answer 36

a sensation in which a person perceives an irregular, forceful, or rapid heartbeat

Question 37

Purulence

Answer 37

pus, or the condition of containing or discharging pus

Question 38

Rales

Answer 38

abnormal respiratory sound heard on auscultation, typically from fluid buildup in congestive heart failure; also known as “crackles”

Question 39

Murmur

Answer 39

an abnormal “whooshing” sound heard on auscultation of the heart indicating a structural or functional abnormality; may be benign or potentially dangerous

Question 40

Rhinorrhea

Answer 40

excessive mucus secretion from the nose, a runny nose.

Question 41

Rhonchi

Answer 41

low-pitched, snore-like sounds heard on auscultation of the chest when air channels are partially obstructed, typically by mucus; worrisome for pneumonia

Question 42

Sputum

Answer 42

mucus/pus expectorated from the lungs, typically in a diseased state

Question 43

Syncope

Answer 43

loss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain; commonly known as “passing out”

Question 44

Tachycardia

Answer 44

objectively categorized rapid heart rate, typically above 100 bpm

Question 45

Tenderness

Answer 45

a pain response to physician touch, typically an objective finding during the physician’s physical exam (versus subjective/perceived pain)