Vocabulary Flashcards
Dyspnea
Difficult or labored breathing
Orthopnea
A form of dyspnea in which the person can breath comfortably only when standing or sitting erect;
often associated with asthma and emphysema.
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea
Respiratory distress and shortness of breath due to pulmonary edema, appearing suddenly and often awakening the sleeping individual.
Palpitations
A noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat due to agitation, exertion, or illness.
Syncope
Temporary loss of consciousness caused by a fall in blood pressure
Hemoptysis
The coughing up of blood.
Pericarditis
Inflammation of the pericardium
Endocarditis
Inflammation of the endocardium
Aortic Stenosis
An abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve.
Cor Pulmonale
An enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart due to disease of the lungs or of the pulmonary blood vessels
Pleurisy
Inflammation of the pleurae, which causes pain when breathing.
Fibromyalgia
A chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localized areas
Costochondritis
Inflammation at the junction of a rib and its cartilage
Inotropes
An inotrope is an agent that alters the force or energy of muscular contractions
PMI
Point of Maximal Impulse
(Normally in the 4th-6th intercostal space on the mid-clavicular line)
Polycythemia
> 20 mg/dL
Increased blood viscosity leading to capillary blockage and tissue ischemia
Anemia
< 10 mg/dL
Therapy may be contraindicated…
Hemolyzed Sample
Condition of a specimen of plasma or serum that has broken blood cells dissolved in it.
Tetany
A condition marked by intermittent muscular spasms, caused by malfunction of the parathyroid glands and a consequent deficiency of calcium
Pneumothorax
Abnormal presence of air in the pleural cavity resulting in the collapse of the lung
Iatrogenic
Of, or relating, to illness caused by medical examination or treatment
Hemothorax
An accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity
Chylothorax
A chylothorax is a type of pleural effusion. It results from lymphatic fluid (chyle) accumulating in the pleural cavity.
Pleural Effusion
Excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity