Terms 11,14,33

Question 1

absence seizure

Answer 1

a sudden, temporary loss of mental awareness and physical activity lasting a few seconds to several minutes; also known as a petit mal seizure.

Question 2

altered mental status

Answer 2

a condition in which a person’s level of awareness or responsiveness has changed.

Question 3

aura

Answer 3

a subjective sensation that precedes a seizure.

Question 4

clonic activity

Answer 4

the spasmodic jerking of muscles during a seizure.

Question 5

coma

Answer 5

an abnormal loss of responsiveness during which the patient cannot be aroused by external stimuli.

Question 6

delirium

Answer 6

a state of mental confusion and/or excitement characterized by disorientation with respect to time and place; may be associated with delusions and hallucinations.

Question 7

dementia

Answer 7

a broad impairment of intellectual function (cognition) that usually is progressive and that interferes with normal social and occupational activities.

Question 8

diabetes mellitus

Answer 8

a term that refers to a complex group of syndromes having in common a disturbance in the use of glucose; a condition that is often a result of a malfunction of the beta cells of the pancreas, whose function is the production and release of insulin.

Question 9

generalized seizure

Answer 9

a seizure consisting of the sudden onset of unresponsiveness, tonic contraction of muscles, loss of postural control, and a cry caused by contraction of respiratory muscles that forces an exhalation; clonic contractions of muscles occur, followed by a period of somulence.

Question 10

glucagon

Answer 10

a hormone that stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, a storage form of glucose in the liver; is sometimes administered by injection to temporarily raise glucose levels in patients with symptomatic hypoglycemia.

Question 11

glucose

Answer 11

a simple sugar that is the end product of carbohydrate digestion in the body and the chief source of energy for most cells, especially neurons.

Question 12

glycogen

Answer 12

a stored form of glucose or carbohydrate that is made by the body; located primarily in liver or muscle.

Question 13

hyperglycemia

Answer 13

an excess of glucose in the blood; when severe, may be associated with confusion or changes in mental status.

Question 14

hypoglycemia

Answer 14

an insufficient amount of glucose in the blood; may be associated with a myriad of signs and symptoms such as tremor, diaphoresis, drowsiness, headache, confusion, and lack of responsiveness.

Question 15

insulin

Answer 15

a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels.

Question 16

polydipsia

Answer 16

excessive thirst and fluid intake.

Question 17

polyuria

Answer 17

excessive excretion of urine.

Question 18

tonic activity

Answer 18

a general stiffening of the muscles.

Question 19

allergen

Answer 19

a foreign substance (antigen) whose presence in the body stimulates an allergic reaction.

Question 20

allergic reaction

Answer 20

a series of signs and symptoms that occur in response to exposure to an allergen.

Question 21

allergy

Answer 21

an exaggerated immune response to a substance that does not normally cause a reaction.

Question 22

anaphylaxis

Answer 22

a severe allergic reaction that can result in serious cardiac or respiratory compromise.

Question 23

angioedema

Answer 23

swelling that occurs beneath the skin or mucosa as a result of an allergic reaction.

Question 24

antibody

Answer 24

a protein that is produced by the body to neutralize or destroy specific antigens.

Question 25

antigen

Answer 25

a foreign substance that when introduced into the body stimulates the production of an antibody; can be a variety of substances, including toxins, bacteria, foreign blood cells, or the cells of transplanted organs.

Question 26

histamine

Answer 26

a chemical that is released in the body as a result of an allergic reaction.

Question 27

hypersensitivity

Answer 27

an exaggerated immune response to an allergen, drug, or other foreign substance.

Question 28

pruritus

Answer 28

severe itching; frequently occurs in the skin during mild and moderate allergic reactions.

Question 29

urticaria

Answer 29

hives or rashes that accompany an allergic reaction.

Question 30

behavior

Answer 30

an individual’s actions or reactions in response to external or internal stimuli.

Question 31

behavioral emergency

Answer 31

a situation in which a person acts in a way that is unacceptable or intolerable to others and oftentimes poses a danger to themselves or others.

Question 32

crisis

Answer 32

a state of emotional turmoil within an individual in which the balance between thoughts and emotions is lost.

Question 33

dependent lividity

Answer 33

a purplish discoloration of the skin in the lowest parts of the body due to the settling of blood following death; also called livor mortis.

Question 34

depression

Answer 34

a clinical state marked by feelings of sadness and self-loathing.

Question 35

livor mortis

Answer 35

a purplish discoloration of the skin in the lowest parts of the body due to the settling of blood following death; also called dependent lividity.

Question 36

neurosis

Answer 36

a condition in which a person exhibits abnormal behavior but remains able to understand the normal boundaries of reality.

Question 37

positional asphyxia

Answer 37

a fatal condition in which a patient’s body weight impairs the ability to breathe, resulting in suffocation.

Question 38

psychosis

Answer 38

a condition in which a person exhibits abnormal behavior and has altered perceptions of reality.

Question 39

reasonable force

Answer 39

the minimum force needed to keep a patient from hurting himself or others.

Question 40

restraint

Answer 40

any method, physical or mechanical, that restricts the movement of a patient.

Question 41

rigor mortis

Answer 41

stiffening of the body after death.

Question 42

schizophrenia

Answer 42

a psychiatric disorder in which a person cannot distinguish what is real from what is not real.

Question 43

suicide

Answer 43

the intentional taking of one’s own life.