PCT Vocab Flashcards
Atherosclerosis
Thickening/hardening of arteries caused by plaque, thus partially or fully blocking circulation to vital organs
Acute disease
Disease or condition that comes on quickly and disappears quickly. Typically less than 3 says
Diaphoresis
Excessive sweating
Emesis
Forceful ejection of some or all contents of the stomach through mouth
Benign
A condition, tumor, or growth that is not cancerous
Intravenous
Taking place within or administered through a vien
Contusion
Bruise
Abrasion
Superficial wearing away of the top layers of the skin (thin skinned knee as a child)
Embolism
Obstruction or blockage in artery, typically by blood clot or air bubble
Malignant
Usually cancer/harmful/dangerous
Syncope
Fainting or loss of consciousness usually due to a rapid drop in blood pressure
Chronic disease/condition
Disease or condition that lasts longer than 3 months, usually life long
Exacerbation
Increase in the severity of symptoms/an action causing symptoms to worsen
Ischemia
Lack of blood (oxygen) to a part of the body (tissue or organ)
Remission
Decrease/disappearance of signs or symptoms of a disease or condition
Idiopathic
No known cause of a disease or condition
Tachycardia
Heart rate that is higher than 100 bpm (adults)
Bradycardia
Heart rate that is lower than 60 bpm (adults)
Dyspnea
Difficult or labored breathing
Angina
Chest pain due to decreased blood flow to the heart
Prognosis
Prediction of the course of an illness and an estimation of the patients chance of recovery
Stoma
A surgically created opening from the inside of the body to the surface of the skin
Distal
Positioned away from the point of attachment or the center of the body
Chain of command
The formal hierarchy within an organization , a pathway of communication, responsibility and authority
Orthopnea
Ability to breathe without difficulty only when in the upright position (sitting or standing)
NPO
Nothing by mouth
Dx
Diagnosis
ADL
Activities of daily living
Rx
Prescription
DNR
Do not resuscitate
Dysuria
painful urination
Hypotension
lower than normal blood pressure, BP lower than 90/60
Hypertension
higher than normal blood pressure, BP higher than 130/90
Cognitive
relating to all aspects and processes of perceiving, thinking, and remembering
Biopsy
Extraction of cells or tissues used for testing to determine a disease or condition
Glaucoma
A condition of increased pressure in the eye causing gradual loss of vision
Hematuria
Blood in the urine
Empathy
the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person
Ambulate
the act of walking or moving about from one place to another
Afebrile
without fever
Disinfection
cleaning something ( work area, equipment) using chemicals that kill pathogens but not their spores
Hyperthermia
higher than normal body temperature- overheating
Hypothermia
lower than normal body temperature- prolonged exposure to cold, your body loses heat ( usually when a person’s body temp is lower than 95)
Antibiotic
medication that kills bacteria
Crepitus
the grating sound within an arthritic joint- the rubbing of the bone and the cartilage together
Hospice Care
Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible- no- curative
Postmortem Care
Care that is given to a deceased person with respect to the person’s cultural and religious beliefs
Apathy
Indifference, a lack of interest, feeling, concern, or emotion
Osteoarthritis
degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle aged onward
Advanced Directive
Document stipulating the kind of life- prolonging medical care permitted for a patient
Gait
The pattern in which a person walks
Flexion
Movement that decreased the angle between two adjoining bones; bending of a limb at a joint
Extension
Movement that increases the angle between two adjoining bones
Sternum
The flat bone in the middle of the chest; breast bone
Dorsal
Directed toward or situated on the back surface
Incision
A surgical cut with a sharp instrument that creates an opening into the body during surgery and is later closed with staples or sutures
Urinalysis
A diagnostic examination of urine
Erythema
Reddening of skin
Decubitus ulcer
Bed sore; soft tissue injury that occurs from prolonged or constant exposure to pressure on the skin
Homeostasis
The body’s stable balanced state
Pus
Thick yellowish or green tinged liquid product of inflammation or infected tissues
Aspiration
inadvertent inhalation of fluid or other substances into the lungs, also the with drawl or removal of a substance or material from the body
Cannula
a oxygen delivery device consisting of a length of tubing with two small prongs for inserting into the nares
Biohazard
A biological substance (such as bacteria) that is dangerous to humans or the enviornment
Maceration
Softening and breaking down of skin due to prolonged exposure to moisture
Enema
installation of fluid onto the rectum to expel contents of the bowels to introduce a contrast agent for testing or provide nutrition or medication
Bile
A fluid the liver produces and stores in the gallbladder to help digest fats
Glucometer
A monitor used to calculate the approximate level of glucose in the body
Dosimeter
A device used to measure an absorbed dose of ionizing radiation
Electronic Health Record (EHR/EMR)
A system wide computer application for the storage, manipulation and retrieval of patient information
Parkinson’s Disease
A progressive degenerative central nervous system disorder that causes constant muscle spasms
Dementia
A condition characterized by progressive or persistent loss of intellectual functioning especially with impairment of memory and abstract thinking, and often with personality change
Contract
Decrease in length
Cerebrospinal Fluid
A normally clear liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
Amniotic Fluid
The fluid that summons an unborn baby
Intercostal
Between the ribs
Bile
A Fluid the liver produces and stores in the gallbladder to help digest fats
Pulmonary Edema
Buildup of excess fluid in the lungs
Sanitization
Reducing the number of micro-organisms by removing debris with soap and water prior to disinfecting
Visceral
Referring to the internal organs of the body
Perineal
Referring to genital and anal areas
Polyuria
Production of abnormally large volumes of dilute urine
Hypoxia
Low levels of oxygen in your body tissues, causing confusion, bluish skin, and changes in breathing and heart rate
Diaphragm
Dome shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen, moving downward to allow the lungs to expand during inhalation and promoting exhalation as it rises upward
Sterilization
Technique for destroying pathogens and their spores on inanimate objects, using heat, water, chemicals or gasses
Antecubital
Inner or front of surface of the forearm
Catheter
A flexible tube inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, usually the bladder, for removing fluid
Oncology
The branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment and diagnosis, and prevention of cancer
Defibrillator
A medical device that uses electrical shocks to restore normal heart beat
Fracture
Broken bone or cartilage
Enternal
Involving or passing through the intestine
Xiphoid Process
The cartilaginous section at the lower end of the sternum, which is not attached to any ribs, and gradually ossifies during adult life
Ophthalmologist
A physician who specializes in treating the eye and eye disease
Myocardial infraction
Also known as a heart attack, where the heart is deprived of blood due to arterial blockage
Appendectomy
Surgical procedure to remove the appendix
Hysterectomy
Surgical procedure to remove uterus
Nebulizer
A device used to deliver medication in an aerosol form through inhalation
Spirometer
A device that measures the amount of air breathed in and out by the lungs
Stethocope
A device for listening to the heartbeat and breathing
Endoscope
A long flexibile tube with its own special lighting and camera used to look into the body, there are many specific kinds of endoscopes
