terminology Flashcards
xerostomia
Salivary glands in the mouth do not make enough saliva to keep the mouth wet
Wheeze
A high pitched or coarse whistling sound that’s heard in the respiratory airway when one breathes.
Vesicular breath sounds
Heard over lower lung fields
Vertigo
A sense of spinning experienced even when someone is perfectly still.
Turgor
The degree of elasticity of skin, sometimes referred to as skin turgor
Thrombus
Semi-solid masses of blood that can either remain stationary (thrombosis) and obstruct blood flow or break loose (embolism) and migrate to different places of the body.
(Blood Clot)
Syncope
Fainting resulting from certain stressful triggers which lead to sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
(Dizziness)
Stridor
High-pitched breath sounds resulting from airflow through an obstructed airway
Rhonchi
Rhonchi are continuous low pitched, rattling lung sounds that often resemble snoring. Obstruction or secretions in larger airways are frequent causes of rhonchi. They can be heard in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, or cystic fibrosis.
Pyrexia
Abnormal increase in body temperature (fever)
Ptosis
A condition in which there is drooping of upper eyelid either in one eye or both the eyes.
Pitting edema
occurs when excess fluid builds up in the body, causing swelling; when pressure is applied to the swollen area, a “pit”, or indentation, will remain.
Pallor
extreme paleness or a lack of healthy color in the skin. An example of pallor is when you are sick and your face is very pale as a result.
Orthostatic
of, relating to, or caused by an upright posture
(orthostatic hypotension)
Orthopnea
Difficulty in breathing while lying down.
Neutropenia
Low white blood count, less than 1.5
Neuralgia
A severe pain due to damaged nerves that causes severe burning pain
Malaise
Feeling uncomfortable, ill or lack of energy but you cannot explain the cause
Leukorrhea
White vaginal discharge
Leukocytes
White blood cell type
Leukocytosis
A higher than normal level of white blood cells in the blood. Greater than 10,000/mm3
Laparotomy
a surgical incision into the abdominal cavity, for diagnosis or in preparation for surgery
Jaundice
Characterized by a yellow discoloration of the eyes, skin, and urine
hyperemia
Increase of blood flow to specific tissues in the body
hemopytysis
the coughing up of blood.
emaciated
abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food
edentulous
lacking teeth
dysphagia
A condition with difficulty in swallowing food or liquid. This may interfere in a person’s ability to eat and drink
dyspepsia
A condition where digestion is impaired. It causes persistent or recurrent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen
dysphasia
Difficulty with speech
Diaphoresis
Sweating that does not occur due to heat but follows a sudden chill feeling in the body
(cold sweat)
Excessive sweating
Clubbing
Enlarge terminal phalanx of finger- caused by oxygenation deprivation
Cerumen
Earwax
Cachexia
general physical wasting and malnutrition usually associated with chronic disease
End stage emaciation, not easily fixed with nutrition. Due to disease.
Bruit
Abnormal sound made when blood rushes through a partly blocked blood vessel “whooshing sound”
Bronchovesicular
Normal sound heard between 1st and 2nd intercostal spaces anteriorly, and between scapula posteriorly
Bronchial
Bronchus: A large air tube that begins at the end of the trachea and branches into the lungs
Atrophy
A progressive and degeneration or shrikage of muscles or nerve tissues
Ataxia
describes poor muscle control that causes clumsy voluntary movements. It may cause difficulty with walking and balance, hand coordination, speech and swallowing, and eye movements.
Usually due to cerebellum damage.
Ascites
abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.
Rapidly developing (acute) ascites can occur as a complication of trauma, perforated ulcer, appendicitis, or inflammation of the colon or other tube-shaped organ
Aphasia
A comprehension and communication (reading, speaking, or writing) disorder resulting from damage or injury to the specific area in the brain
Anoxia
extreme form of hypoxia (low levels of oxygen in the blood) in which there is a complete lack of oxygen supply to the body as a whole or to a specific organ or tissue region.
Anhidrosis
A condition in which the person does not sweat or perspire. This results in an increase in body heat and cause dizziness and in severe cases heatstroke
Alopecia
Loss of hair from the scalp or any part of the body. The condition, usually, occurs when the immune system destroys the hair follicles that results in hair loss
Achalasia
a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the swallowing tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) into your stomach. Achalasia occurs when nerves in the esophagus become damaged
Presbyopia
Progressive loss of near focusing ability of the eye due to ageing
Presbycusis
Age-related hearing loss
Dysarthria
Difficulty in speech due to weakness of speech muscles. This could be either a developmental problem or acquired due to medical conditions.
Dyspnea
Difficulty breathing
Hematemesis
Vomiting of blood
Hemoptysis
Coughing up blood
Hyperkalemia
Increased potassium level- greater than 5.3
Abduction
the movement of a limb or other part away from the midline of the body
Adduction
Bring limbs toward the body
Adventitious breath sounds
abnormal sounds that are heard over a patient’s lungs and airways
Apnea
temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep
Atelectasis
A condition where lungs collapse partially or completely.
Bradycardia
Heart rate slower than 60 beats per minute
Bradypnea
Abnormally slow respiratory rate which is below 12 breaths per minute.
Contracture
A permanent tightening of the muscles, tendons, skin, and surrounding tissues that causes the joints to shorten and stiffen.
Cyanosis
Bluish skin color due to decreased amounts of oxygen
Dorsal recumbent
lying on their back with their knees bent up in an outward position. (like birthing but feet down)
Dorsiflexion
foot pointing upward
Dyspnea
shortness of breath, a feeling of air hunger or chest tightness.
Dysrhythmia
A condition characterized by abnormal heart rhythm. This may result in either too fast or slow heart beat.
Hypotension
blood pressure reading below the specified limit (90/60 mmHg). This can cause dizziness, blurred vision and tieredness.
Hypothermia
occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C)
Hypoxemia
blood oxygen level is very low, below 100 mmHg or 75 percent saturation.
Hypoxia
low levels of oxygen in your body tissues.
Inversion
tilting foot toward body
Kyphosis
An abnormality of the spine causing excessive curvature of the upper back. This causes pain and stiffness. (huntchback)
Lateral
away from midline of the body
Lithotomy
Removal of kidney stones if unable to pass through urine.
Lordosis
The excessive inward curvature of the spine. It can affect either at the neck or lower back causing pain and discomfort.
Medial
median plane of the body or the midline of an organ. The opposite of lateral.
Meniscus
C-shaped pad of fibrocartilage that cushions and stabilizes the knee joint
And the bottoms part of c shape in liquid measurement.
Plantar flexion
toes pointing downward
Pronation
a natural motion of your foot during walking and running. slight bend in ankle
Prone
lying flat, especially face downward
Pulse deficit
difference between the apical pulse and the radial pulse
Pulse pressure
difference between your systolic blood pressure, which is the top number of your blood pressure reading, and diastolic blood pressure.
Quadriplegia
paralysis of all four limbs; tetraplegia
Scoliosis
sideways curvature of the spine or back bone
Sims position
Sims position the patient lies on the left side with the left thigh slightly flexed and the right thigh acutely flexed on the abdomen; the left arm is behind the body with the body inclined forward, and the right arm is positioned according to the patient’s comfort.
Sphygmomanometer
instrument for measuring blood pressure
Supination
turn or hold (a hand, foot, or limb) so that the palm or sole is facing upward or outward. Compare with pronate.
Supine
(of a person) lying face upward.
Tachycardia
A heart rhythm disorder with heartbeats faster than usual, greater than 100 beats per minute.
Tachypnea
condition where you breathe faster and shallower than normal,
Visceral
Referring to the viscera, the internal organs of the body, specifically those within the chest or abdomen
Idiosyncratic effect
unusual response to a drug.
Hypercalcemia
condition in which the calcium level in your blood is above normal.
Hyperkalemia
elevated level of potassium in the blood. Normal potassium levels are between 3.5 and 5.3 mmol/L with levels above 5.5 mmol/L defined as hyperkalemia.
Hypernatremia
Electrolyte problem characterized by increased sodium concentration in the blood. This causes lethargy, confusion, and excessive thirst.
Hypervolemia
when your body has too much fluid, especially in your blood. It can cause swelling, headaches, cramps, and heart problems
Hypovolemia
A condition in which the volume of blood plasma is too low. This causes rapid heart beat, weak pulse, confusion and loss of consciousness
Interstitial fluid
The interstitial fluid (IF) is part of the extracellular fluid (ECF) between the cells.
Intracellular fluid
fluid contained within cells
Isotonic
equal concentration of fluids
Phlebitis
A condition of inflammation of veins causing pain, discomfort and swelling. It commonly occurs in the legs but can occur elsewhere in the body.
Thrombophlebitis
condition where an inflammation in a vein is caused by a blood clot, affecting normal blood flow. It commonly occurs in the legs but can occur elsewhere in the body.
Enteral
involving or passing through the intestine, either naturally via the mouth and esophagus, or through an artificial opening. Often contrasted with parenteral
Enteritis
inflammation of your small intestine.
Gastrostomy
an opening into the stomach from the abdominal wall, made surgically for the introduction of food.
Hematemesis
Expulsion of stomach contents mixed with blood, or blood only through the mouth
