Vocabulary Flashcards
Abdominal
Relating to the abdomen
Acidosis
Accumulation of acid and hydrogen in the blood and body tissues resulting in a decrease in pH
Adenoma
A benign tumor of gland-like structure
Alcoholism
A chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol
Alopecia
Hair loss
Anaphylaxis
Rapidly progressing, life-threatening allergic reaction
Anemia
Reduced delivery of oxygen to the tissues
Aneurysm
Sac formed by the localized dilatation of the wall of an artery
Angina
Pain in the chest caused by insufficient supply of blood to the heart muscle
Angiography
X-ray study of the blood vessels
Antibody
Immunoglobulin molecule having a specific amino acid sequence that gives each antibody the ability to adhere to and interact only with he antigen that induced its synthesis
Aorta
Great artery arising from the left ventricle
Aphagia
refusal or loss of the ability to swallow
Arrhythmia
Variation from the normal rhythm, especially of the heartbeat
Ascites
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
Aspiration
Inhalation of some foreign material
Asthma
Chronic inflammatory disease of the airways
Atelectasis
Collapse of lung tissue affecting part or all of one lung
Atherosclerosis
Build up of waxy plaque on the inside of blood vessels
Atrophy
Decrease in size of a normally developed organ or tissue
Biopsy
Removal and examination of tissue from the living body
Brand Name
A word, symbol, or device assigned to a product by its manufacturer, registered or not registered, as a part of its identity
Cachexia
General ill health and malnutrition
Cardiac
Pertaining to the heart
Cardiomyopathy
Chronic disease of the heart muscle in which the muscle is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened
Cardiovascular
Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels
Celiac Disease
Disease of the digestive system that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food
Cholelithiasis
Presence or formation of gallstones
Clubbing
Bulbous swelling of the terminal phalanges
Colonoscopy
Colonoscope used to view the entire inner lining of the colon and the rectum
Contraindicated
Disadvantageous therapy that should not be used due to risks involved
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Coronary Artery Disease
Narrowing or blockage of the arteries and vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to the heart
Cranial
Pertaining to the cranium or to the head end of the body
Cutaneous
Pertaining to the skin
Cyanosis
Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes
Dehydration
Loss of water and salts essential for normal body function
Dementia
Loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living
Dermatitis
General term used to describe inflammation of the skin
Diaphoresis
Excretion of moisture through the pores of the skin
Diphtheria
Infection usually involves nose, throat, and air passages. Striking feature is the formation of a grayish membrane covering the tonsils and upper part of the throat
Dysphagia
Difficulty in swallowing
Dysphoria
Restlessness; malaise
Dyspnea
Shortness of breath
Ectopic
Located away from normal position
Embolus
A clot or other plug brought by the blood from another vessel and forced into a smaller one, thus obstructing circulation
Emesis
Vomiting
Erythema
Redness of the skin
Euphoria
Exaggerated feeling of physical and mental well-being
Exacerbation
Increase in severity of a disease or any of its symptoms
Expectoration
Coughing up and spitting out of material from the lungs
Exudate
Fluid with a high content of protein and cellular debris that has escaped from blood vessels and has been deposited in tissues or on tissue surfaces
Febrile
Pertaining to fever
Feces
Stool
Fistula
Permanent abnormal passageway between two organs or an organ and the exterior of the body
Gastritis
Inflammation of the lining of the stomach
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
GERD, syndrome due to the structural or functional incompetence of the lower esophageal sphincter, which permits retrograde flow of the acidic gastric juice into the esophagus
Gland
Aggregation of cells specialized to secrete or excrete
Glucometer
Portable monitor used to measure blood glucose levels
Glucosuria
Glucose in the urine
Hemolysis
Rupture of RBCs with release of hemoglobin into the plasma
Hemoptysis
Coughing up of blood or bloody sputum
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver
Hernia
Bulge or protrusion of an organ through the structure or muscle that usually contains it
Hypernatremia
Elevated serum sodium levels
Hypersensitivity
State of altered reactivity in which body reacts with an exaggerated immune response
Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar
Hypoxemia
Deficient oxygenation of the blood
Hypoxia
Diminished availability of oxygen to the body tissues
Idiopathic
Occurring without known cause
Impetigo
Acute contagious staph or strep skin disease characterized by vesicles, pustules, and yellowish crusts
Incontinent
Unable to voluntarily retain a bodily discharge
Influenza
Acute highly contagious respiratory disease
Jaundice
Yellowish pigmentation of the skin
Keratosis
Disease of the skin marked by overgrowth of horny tissue (warts)
Leukemia
Disease of blood-forming organs
Malaise
Feeling of debility or lack of health
Mastication
Chew
Melanoma
Skin cancer
Menorrhea
Normal menstrual flow
Microvascular
Pertaining to the capillaries
Myocardial Infarction
Heart Attack
Myoglobin
Oxygen carrying protein of muscle
Neuritis
Inflammation of nerves
Nodule
Small mass of rounded or irregular shape
Noncontributory
Making no contribution to a medical diagnosis
Ophthalmoscope
Instrument used to view the interior of the eye
Ostomy
Operation to create an artificial passage for bodily elimination
Ovum
Female gamete
Palpation
Touching and feeling
Pelvic
Pertaining to the pelvis
Percussion
Act of tapping the surface of a body part to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the resulting sound
Perinatal
Relating to the time of birth
Periorbital
pertaining to the area around the eyes
Peripartum
Pertaining to the period preceding or following parturition (birth)
Peristalsis
How intestines move stuff (waves of contractions)
Peritoneum
Serous membrane that lines the cavity of the abdomen
Peritonitis
Inflammation of the peritoneum
Pharmacology
Study of drugs
Phlebitis
Inflammation of veins
Plaque
Atherosclerotic lesion
Posterior
Situated behind
Postpartum
After birth
Prenatal
Relating to the period before birth
Prognosis
Act of foretelling the course of a disease
Prophylaxis
Measures designed to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease
Psoriasis
Chronic skin disease characterized by red patches covered with white scales
Purpura
Any of several hemorrhagic states characterized by patches of purplish discoloration
Pustule
Blister or pimple
Pylorus
Opening from the vertebrate stomach into the intestine
Radiology
Science of radioactive substances and high-energy radiations
Regurgitation
Throw up
Remission
State during which the symptoms of a disease are abated
Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Occurs in newborns and characterized by deficiency of the surfactant coating the inner surface of the lungs
Rhinorrhea
Excessive mucous secretion from the nose
Sialorrhea
Excessive salivation
Sphincter
Annular muscle surrounding and able to contract or close a bodily opening
Sphygomomanometer
Blood pressure cuff
Spirometer
Instrument for measuring the air entering and leaving the lungs
Sputum
Expectorated from the respiratory system
Stethoscope
Instrument for hearing things
Stomatitis
Inflammatory disease of the mouth
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
SIDS, death of an apparently health infant usually before one year of age
Syncope
Loss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain
Synergistic
Having the capacity to act in synergism
Thrombolysis
Destroying or breaking up a thrombus (clot)
Thrombosis
Formation or presence of a blood clot within a blood vessel
Thrush
White patches in the oral cavity, occurs especially in infants and children
Thyroidectomy
Surgical excision of thyroid gland tissue
Tinea
Any of several fungal disease of the skin
Tuberculosis
Highly variable disease affects lungs but may spread to other areas
Ulcer
Break in skin or mucous membrane with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis of epithelial tissue, and often pus
Ultrasound
Diagnostic examination
Urticaria
Hives
Vasoconstriction
Narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels
Vasospasm
Sharp and often persistent contraction of a blood vessel reducing its caliber and blood flow
Veins
Carries blood toward the heart
Vitiligo
Progressive skin disorder that is a form of leukoderma caused by the localized or generalized destruction of melanocytes and marked by sharply circumscribed white spots of skin
Acrokinasia
Excess motion of the extremities
Megacephaly
Unusually large head
Dactylspasm
Spasms of fingers or toes
Laparotomy
Incision through the abdominal wall
Thoracentesis
Surgical puncture of the chest