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EMT Vocabulary
medical vocab
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Abruptio placentae | A condition in which the placenta separates from the uterine wall; a cause of prebirth bleeding |
| Acetabulum | the pelvic socket into which the ball of the at the proximal end of the femur fits to form the hip joint |
| Acromioclavicular joint | the joint where the acromion and the clavicle meet |
| Acromion process | The highest portion of the shoulder |
| Active rewarming | Application of an external heat source to rewarm the hypothermic patient |
| Acute myocardial infarction | The condition in which a portion of the myocardium dies as a result of oxygen starvation |
| Afterbirth | the placenta, membranes of the amniotic sac, part of the umbilical card, and some tissues from the lining of the uterus that are delivered after the birth of the baby |
| Ambulatory | able to walk |
| angina pectoris | pain in the chest, occurring when blood supply to the heart is reduced and a portion of the beart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen |
| Apices | Apexes, a narrowed or pointed end of an anatomical structure |
| apnea | not breathing |
| arteriole | the smallest kind of artery |
| asystole | a condition in which the heart has ceased generating electrical impulses |
| automaticity | the ability of the heart to generate and conduct electrical impulses on its own |
| autonomic nervous system | the division of the peripheral nervous system the controls involuntary motor functions |
| Auto-PEEP | Positive end-expiratory presure, is caused by gas trapped in alveoli at end expiration; This gas is not in equilibrium with the atmosphere and it exerts a positive pressure, increasing the work of breathing |
| Avitaminosis or Hypovitaminosis | Diseases caused by deficiency of one or more vitamins |
| AVPU | Alert, Verbal response, Painfull response, Unresponsive |
| Avulsion | The tearing away or tearing off of a piece or flap of shin or other soft tissue; Also used to discribe an eye or tooth pulled from it's socket |
| Babinski's reflex | dorsiflexion of the great toe with fanning of the other toes; is an abnormal response and may indicate dysfunction to the cerebrum or spinal cord, but may be a normal presentation in a epileptic postictal patient |
| Beriberi | Avitaminosis caused by lack of thiamine (B1 vitamine) |
| Bilaterla | On both sides |
| Blunt force trauma | Injury caused by a blow that does not penetrate the skin or other body tissues |
| Brachial Artery | Artery of the upper arm; the site of the pulse checked during infant CPR |
| Bradycardia | Slow pulse; any puls rate below 60 beats per minute |
| Breech presentation | when the baby appears buttocks or both legs first during birth |
| Bronchi | The two larger sets of branches that come off the trachea and enter the lungs, There are right and left bronchi, (Singular) Bronchus |
| Bronchioles | Smaller branches of the bronchi |
| Bronchoconstriction | Constriction, or blockage, of the bronchi that lead from the trachea to the lungs |
| Brudzinske's sign | involuntary flexing of the hip and knees when the neck is flexed by moving the chin to the patients chest, Suspect meningitis if patient presents with other accommpanied signs of meningitis |
| Calcaneus | the heel bone |
| Capillary | A then-walled, microscopic blood vessel where the oxygen/carbon dioxide and nutrient/waste exchange with the body's cells takes place |
| Capnometry | The measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide |
| Cardiac Compromise | A blanket term that refers to heart problem with a rapid onset |
| Cardiac conduction system | A system of specialized muscle tissues which coduct electrical impulses that stimulat the heart to beat |
| Cardiac muscle | specialized involuntary muscle found only in the heart |
| Cardiogenic Shock | Shock, or lack of perfusion, brought on not by blood loss, but by inadequate pumping of the heart, It is often the result of a heart attack or congestive heart failure |
| Carina | the fork at the lower end of the trachea where the two mainstem bronchi branch |
| carotid arteries | The large neck arteries |
| carpals | the wrist bones |
| Central IV Catheter | A catheter surgically inserted for long-term delivery of medications or fluids into the central circulation |
| central nervous system | The brain and spinal cord |
| Central rewarming | Application of heat to the lateral chest, neck, armpits, and groin of a hypothermic patient |
| Cephalic presentation | When the baby appears head first during birth; This is the normal presentation |
| cerebrospinal fluid | The fluid the surrounds the brain and spinal cord |
| Cervix | The neck of the uterus at the begaining of the birth canal |
| cholecystitis | inflammation of the gallbladder |
| clavical | Collarbone |
| closed extremity injury | an injury to an extremity with no associated opening in the skin |
| closed wound | an injury with no pathway from the outside |
| colostomy | A surgical opening in the wall of the abdomen with a bag in place to collect excretions from the digestive system |
| Compensated shock | When the patien is developing shock but the body is still able to maintaine perfusion |
| concussion | A mild closed head injury without detectable damage to the brain, Complete recovery is usualy expected |
| congenital disease/condition | a disease or condition that is present at birth |
| congestive heart failure | the failure of the heart to pump efficiently, leading to excessive blood or fluids in the lungs, body, or both |
| contusion | a bruise, in brain injuries, a burised brain caused when force of a blow to the head is great enough to rupture blood vessels |
| coronary arteries | blood vessels that supply the muscels of the heart |
| coronary artery disease | diseases that effect the arteries of the heart |
| CPAP | Continuous positive airway pressure |
| Crackles | Rales, crackles or crepitations, are the clicking, rattling, or crackling noises heard during inhalation, Crackles are caused by the "popping open" of small airways and alveoli collapsed by fluid, exudate, or lack of aeration during expiration |
| cranium | the bony structure that make up the forehead, top, back, and upper sides of the skull |
| crepitation | the grating sound of brocken bones rubbing together, also called crepitus |
| cricoid cartilage | the ring shaped structure that circles the trachea at the lower edge of the larynx |
| crowning | whe part of the baby is visible through the vaginal opening |
| crush injury | an injury caused by when force is transmitted from the body's exterior to its internal structures; Bones can be broken; muscles, nerves, and tissues damaged; and internal organs ruptured causing internal bleeding |
| cutaneous | relating to, or affecting the skin |
| cyanosis | a blue gray color resulting from lack of pxygen in the body |
| DCAP-BTLS | deformities, contusions, abrasions, puncture, burns, tenderness, lacerations, swelling |
| decerebrate posturing | rigid body, arms and legs extended, head retracted (head pulled back), Indicates a lower brain stem injury, carries a poor pronosis |
| decompensated shock | occurs when the body can no longer compensate for low blood volume or lack of perfusion, late signs such as decreasing blood pressure become evident |
| decorticate posturing | rigid body, arms flexed (curled), fist clenched, legs extended, indicates a low cercbral cortex or high brain stem injury |
| delirium tremens | a sever reaction that can be part of alcohol withdrawal, characterized by sweating, trembling, anxiety, and hallucinations; server alcohol withdrawal with DT's can lead to death if unteated |
| dermis | the inner layer of skin, rich in blood vessels and nerves, found beneath the epidermis |
| desquamation | peeling, shedding loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales |
| diabetes mellitus | also called sugar diabetes; the condition brought about by decreased insulin production or the inabillity of the body cells to use insulin properly |
| dialysis | the process of filtering the blood to remove toxic or unwanted wastes and fluids |
| diaphragm | the muscular structure that divides the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity |
| diastolic blood pressure | the pressure remaining in the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart is relaxed and refilling |
| dilate | get larger |
| direct carry | a method of transferring a patient from bed to stretcher, during which two or more rescuers curl the patient to their chest, then reverse the process to lower the patient to the stretcher |
| direct ground lift | a method of lifting and carrying a patient from ground level to a stretcher in which two or more rescures kneel, curl the patient to their chest, stand,then reverse the process to lower the patient to the stretcher |
| dissemination | spreading |
| distal | farther away from the torso |
| distention | a condition of being stretched, inflated, or larger than normal |
| dorsal | referring to the back of the body, hand, or foot; it is a synonym for posterior |
| dorsalis pedis artery | artery supplying the foot; lateral to the large tendon of the big toe |
| draw-sheet method | a method of reansferring a patient frombed to stretcher by grasping and pulling the loosend bottom shet of the bed |
| Dysphagia | difficulty swallowing |
| Dysphasia | difficulty speaking |
| dyspnea | shortness of breath; labored of difficult breathing |
| dysrhythmia | a disturbance in heart rate and rhythum |
| ecchymosis | a bruise |
| eclampsia | a svere complication of pregnancy that produces seizures and coma |
| ectopic pregnancy | when implantation of the fertilized egg is not in the body of the uterus, occuring instead in the oviduct (fallopian tube), cervix, or abdominopelvic cavity |
| edema | swelling resulting from a buildup of fluids in the tissues |
| embolism | blockage of a vessel by a clot or foreign matter brought to the site by the blood current |
| endocrine system | system of glands that produce chemicals called hormones that help to regulate many body activities and functions |
| endotracheal tube | a tuve designed to be inserted into the trachea, oxygen, medication, or a suction catheter can be directed into the trachea through it |
| epidermis | the outer layer of skin |
| epiglottis | a leaf-shaped structure that prevents food and forgein matter from entering the trachea |
| epilepsy | a medical condition that causes seizures; with proper medication, many epileptic patients will no longer have siezures |
| epinephrine | a hormone produced by the body; as a medication, it dilates repiratory passages and is used to relieve allergic reactions |
| Epistaxis | Nose bleed |
| Erythema | red or flushed skin |
| esophageal detector device | a device that is used to determine the correct placement of an endotracheal tube |
| esophagus | the tube that leads from the pharynx to the stomach |
| Etiology | the philosophical study of causation |
| evisceration | an intestine or other internal organ protruding through a wound in the abdomen |
| extremities | the portions of the skeleton that include the upper extremities, clavicles, scapulae, arms, wrists, and hands and the lower extremities, pelvis, thighs, legs, andkles, and feet |
| extremity lift | a method of lifting and carrying a patient during which one rescuer slips hands under tha patient's armpits and grasps the wrists, while another rescuer grasps the patient's knees |
| femoral artery | the mahor artey supplying the thigh |
| femur | the large bone of the thigh |
| fibula | the lateral and smaller bone of the lower leg |
| flail chest | fracture of two or more adjacent ribs in two or more places that allows for free movement of the fractured segment |
| fowler's position | a sitting position |
| full thickness burn | a burn in which all the layers of the skin are damaged; there are usually areas that are charred black or areas that are dry and white; also called third-degree burns |
| glottic opening | the opening to the trachea |
| glucose | a form of sugar, the body's basic source of energy |
| hallucinogens | mind-affecting or mind-altering drugs that act on the central nervous system to produce excitement and distortion of perceptions |
| Hematemesis | vomiting of blood |
| hematoma | a swelling caused by the collection of blood under the skin or in damaged tissues as a result of an injury or broken blood vessel; in a head injury, a collection of blood within the skull or brain |
| Hematuria | blood in urine |
| Hemoptysis | bloody sputum |
| hemorrhage | bleeding, especially severe bleeding |
| hemorrhagic shock | shock resulting from blood loss |
| humerus | the bone of the upper arm, between the shoulder and the elbow |
| hyperglycemia | high blood sugar |
| hypoglycemia | low blood sugar |
| hypoperfusion | inability of the body to adequately circulate blood to the body's cells to supply them with oxygen and ntrients |
| hypopharynx | the area directly above the openings of both the trachea and esophagus |
| hypovolemic shock | shock resulting from blood or fluid loss |
| hypoxia | an insufficiency of oxygen in the body tissues |
| Icterus | Jaundice |
| ileostomy | similar to a colostomy |
| ilium | the superior and widest portion of the pelvis |
| ischemia | local anemia in a given body part sometimes resulting from vasoconstriction or thrombosis or embolism |
| Kussmaul's sign | Jugular vein distention during inspiration |
| myalgia | pain in a muscle or group of muscles |
| Osteomyelitis | an infection of the bone |
| Palliation | easing the severity of pain or a disease without removing the cause |
| paresis | a slight or partial paralysis |
| paresthesia | abnormal skin sensations (as tingling or tickling or itching or burning) usually associated with peripheral nerve damage |
| pericardial effusion | the presence of an abnormal amount and/or character of fluid in the pericardial space |
| renal calculi | kidney stone |
| rhinorrhea | excessive mucous secretion from the nose |
| Rhonchi | Is a longer course rattling, rumbling sound somewhat like snoring that is more pronounced during experation, caused by airflow through an airway obstructed with mucus or thick secretions, muscle spasm, growths, or external pressure |
| sclerae | whites of the eye |
| subcostal | situated or performed below a rib |
| tactile fremitus | the sensation felt by a hand placed on a part of the body (as the chest) that vibrates during respiration or speech |
| Thiamine | B vitamin that prevents beriberi, and maintains appetite and growth |
| Todd's Paralysis | transient focal weakness or paralysis of an arm or leg, may normally occur after an epileptic seizure and may indicate a focal cerebral lesion and the etiology |
| Turgor | Refers to the normal elastic recoil that occurs when the skin is pinched |
| urticaria | Hives |
| Wheezes | Are continuous, high pitched musical sounds that are heard during both inspiration and expiration, caused by airflow through a narrowed bronchiole |
| inferior | away from the head; usually compared with another structure that is closer to the head |
| oropharynx | the area directly posterior to the mouth |
| orotracheal intubation | placement of an endotracheal tube though the mouth and into the trachea |
| ostomy bag | an external pouch that collects fecal matter diverted from the colon through a surgical onening in the abdominal wall |
| oviduct | fallopian tube; tube that carries eggs from an ovary to the uterus |
| palmar | referring to the palm of the hand |
| palpation | touching or feeling |
| pancreas | a gland located behind the stomach that produces insulin and juices that assist in digestion of food in the duodenum of the small intestine |
| paradoxical motion | movement of a section of ribs that is opposite to the direction of movement of the rest of the chest during respiration |
| parietal pain | a localized, intense pain that arises from the parietal peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity |
| passive rewarming | covering a hypothermic patient and taking other steps to prevent further heat loss and help the body rewarm itself |
| patella | the kneecap |
| patent airway | an airway that is open and clear and will remain open and clear, without interference to the passage of air into and out of the lungs |
| pathogens | the organisms that sause infection, such as viruses and bacteria |
| pedal edema | accumulation of fluid in the feet of ankles |
| perineum | the surface area between the vagina and anus |
| peripheral nervous system | the nerves that enter and leave the spinal cord and travel between the brain and organs without passing through the spinal cord |
| peripheral pulses | the radial, brachial, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis pulses, which can be felt at peripheral points of the body |
| peritoneum | the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers the organs within it |
| permeation | the movement of a substance through a surface or, on a molecular level, through intact materials; penetration, or spreading |
| phalanges | the toe and finger bones |
| pharynx | the area directly posterior to the mouth and nose;it is made up of the oropharynx and the nasopharnyx |
| placenta | the organ of pregnancy where exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and wast occures between a mother and fetus |
| placenta previa | a condition in which the placenta is formed in an abnormal location (low in the uterus and close to or over the cervical opening) that will not allow for the normal delivery of the fetus; a cause of excessive prebirth bleeding |
| plantar | refering to the sole of the foot |
| platelets | components of the blood; membrane/enclosed fragments of specialized cells |
| pneumothorax | air in the chest cavity |
| positional asphyxia | death of a person due to a body position that restricts breathing for a prolonged time |
| posterior | the back of the body or body part |
| posterior tibial artery | artery supplying the foot, behind the medial ankle |
| preeclampsia | a complication of pregnancy where the woman retains large amounts of fluid and has hypertension; she may also experienc seizures and/or coma during birth, which is bery dangerous to the infant |
| premature infant | any newborn weighing less that 5 1/2 lbs or born before the 37th week of pregnancy |
| priapism | persistent erection of the penis that may result from spinal injury and some medical problems |
| prolapsed umbilical cord | when the umbilical cord presents first and is squeezed between the vaginal wall and the baby's head |
| prone | lying face down |
| proximal | closer to the torso |
| pubis | the medial anterior portion of the pelvis |
| pulmonary arteries | vessels that carry bloos from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs |
| pulmonary veins | the vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart |
| pulmonary edema | accumulation of fluid in the lungs |
| pulse quality | the rhythm (regular or irregular) and force (strong or weak) of the pulse |
| pulseless electrical activity | a condition in which the heart's electrical rhythm remains relatively normal, yet the mechanical pumping activity fails to follow the electrical activity, causing cardiac arrest |
| radius | the lateral bone of the forearm |
| referred pain | pain that is felt in a location other thatn where the pain originates |
| rem | a measure of radiation dosage |
| respiratory arrest | when breathing completely stops |
| respiratory distress | increased work of breathing; a sensation of shortness of breath |
| respiratory failure | the reduction of breathing to the point where oxygen intake is not sufficient to suport life |
| respiratory quality | the normal or abnormal character of breathing |
| respiratory rate | the number of breaths taken in 1 minute |
| respiratory rhythm | the regular or irregular spacing of breaths |
| scapula | the shoulder blade |
| seizure | a sudden change is sensation, behavior, or movement, the most severe form of seizure produces violent muscle contractions called convulsions |
| shock | the inability of the body to adequately circulate blood to the body's cells to supply them with oxygen and nutrients; This is a life-threatening condition |
| sphygmomanometer | blood pressure cuff |
| spinous process | the bony bump on a vertebra |
| spleen | an organ located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen that acts as a blood filtration system amd reservoir for reserves of blood |
| spontaneous abortion | when the fetus and placenta deliver befor the 28th week of pregnancy; commonly called a misscarriage |
| sprain | the stretching and tearing of ligaments |
| status epilepticus | a prolonged seizure ofr when a person suffers two or more convulsive seizures without regaining full consciousness |
| sternum | the breastbone |
| stoma | a permanent surgical opening int the neck through which the paitent breathes; a surgically created opening into the body, as with a trecheostomy |
| stomach | muscular sac betweenthe esophagus and the small intestine where degestion of good begins |
| strain | muscle injury resulting from overstretching or overexertion of the muscle |
| stroke | a condition of altered function caused when an artery in the brain is blocked or ruptured, disrupting the supply of pxygenated blood or causing bleeding into the brain |
| subcutaneous layers | the layers of fat and soft tissues found below the dermis |
| sudden death | a cardiac arrest that occurs withing 2 hours of the onset of symptoms, the patient may have no prior symptoms of coronary artery disease |
| superficial burn | a burn that involves only the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin; it is characterized by reddening og the skin and perhaps some swelling |
| superior | toward the head |
| supine | lying on the back |
| supine hypotensive syndrome | dizziness and a drop in blood pressure caused when the mother is in a supine position and the weight of the uterus, infant, placenta, and amniotic fluid compress the inferior vena cava, reducing return of blood to the heart and cardiac output |
| syncope | fainting |
| systolic blood pressure | the pressure crated in the arteries when the left ventricle contracts and forces blood out into circulation |
| tachycardia | rapid puls; any pulse rate above 100 beats per minute |
| tarsals | the ankle bones |
| tearing pain | sharp pain that feels as if body tissues are being torn apart |
| temporal bone | bone that forms part of the side of the skull and floor of the cranial cavity; there is a right and left temporal bone |
| temporomandibular joint | the moveable joint formed between the mandible and the temporal bone, also called TMJ |
| tendon | tissue that connects muscle to bone |
| insulin | a hormone produced by the pancreas of taken as medication by many diabetics |
| intubation | insertion of a tube |
| involuntary muscle | muscle that responds automatically to brain signals but cannot be consciously controlled |
| irreversible shock | when the body has lost the battle to maintain perfusion to vital organs; even if adequate vital signs return, the patient may die days later due to organ failure |
| ischium | the lower, posterior portions of the pelvis |
| laceration | a cut; in brain injuries, a cut to the brain |
| laryngoscope | an illuminating instrument that is inserted into the pharynnx to permit visualization of the pharynx |
| larynx | the voice box |
| lateral | to the side, away from the midline of the body |
| left ventrical assist device (LVAD) | a battery-powered mechanical pump implanted in the body to assist a failing left ventricle in pumping blood to the body |
| ligament | tissue that connects bone to bone |
| local cooling | cooling or freezing of particular parts of the body |
| mainstem bronchi | the two large sets of branches that come off the trachea and enter the lungs |
| malar | the cheek bone, also called the zygomatic bone |
| manubrium | the superior portion of the sternum |
| mandible | the lower jaw |
| maxillae | the two fused bones forming the upper jaw |
| meconium staining | amniotic fluid that is greenish or brownish-yellow rather that clear as a result of fetal defecation; an indication of possivle maternal or fetal distress during labor |
| medial | toward the midline of the body |
| mental status | level of responsiveness |
| metacarpals | the hand bones |
| metatarsals | the foot bones |
| mid-axillary line | a line drawn verically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle |
| mid-clavicular line | the line through the center of each clavicle |
| midline | an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body, divinding it into right and left halves |
| minute volume | the amount of air brathed in during each respiration multiplied by the number of breaths per minute |
| Narcotics | a class of drugs that affect the nervous system and change many normal body activities; their legal use is for the relief of pain; Illicit use is to produce an intense state of relaxation |
| nasal cannula | a divice that delivers low concentrations of oxygen through two prongs that rest in the patient's nose |
| nasogastric tube | a tube designed to be passed through the nose, nasopharynx, and esophagus; it is used to relieve distention of the stomach in an infant or child patient |
| nasopharyngeal airway | a flexible breathing tub inserted through the patient's nose into the pharynx to help maintain an open airway |
| neurogenic shock | hypoperfusion due to nerve paralysis (sometimes caused by spinal cord injurys) resulting in the dilation of blood vessels that increases the volume of the circulatory system beyond the point where it can be filled |
| nitroglycerin | a drug that helps dilate the coronary vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood |
| occlusion | blockage, as of an artery by fatty deposits |
| occlusive dressing | any dressing that forms an air tight seal |
| open extremity injury | an extrimity injury in which the skin has been broken or torn through from the inside by an injured bone or from the outside by something that has caused a penertrating wound with associated injury to the bone |
| open wound | an injury in which the skin is interrupted, exposing the tissue beneath |
| Oral glucose | a form of glucose given by mouth to an awake patient who is able to swallow and who has an altered mental status and a history of diabtes |
| orbits | the bony structures around the eyes, the eye sockets |
| oropharyngeal airway | a curved device inserted through the patients mouth into the pharynx to help maintain an open airway |
| tension pneumothorax | a type of pneumothorax in which air that enters the chest cavity is prevented from escaping |
| thorax | the chest |
| thrombus | a clot formed of blood and plaque attached to the inner wall of an artery or vein |
| tibia | the medial and larger bone of the lower leg |
| tourniquet | a divice used for bleeding control that constricts all blood flow to and from an extremity |
| trachea | the structure that connects the pharynx to the lungs |
| tracheostomy | a surgical incision held open by a metal or plastic tube |
| traction splint | trendelenburg position |
| triage | the process of quickly assessing patients at a multiple-casualty incident and assigning each a priority for receiving treatment |
| trending | changes in a persons condition over time, such as slowing respirations or rising pulse rate, that may show improvement or deterioration, and that can be shown by documenting repeated assessments |
| ulna | the medial bone of the forarm |
| umbilical cord | the fetal structure containing the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the placenta |
| uppers | stimulants such as amphetamines that affect the central nervous system to excite the user |
| urinary catheter | a tube inserted into the bladder through the uretha to drain urine from the bladder |
| uterus | the muscular abdominal organ where the fetus develops; the womb |
| vallecula | a groove-like structure anterior to the epiglottis |
| vein | any vessel returning to the heart |
| vena cava | the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava; these two major veins return bood from the body to the right atrium; venae cavae is the plural form |
| venous bleeding | bleeding from a vein, which is characterized by dark red or maroon blood and as a steady flow, easy to control |
| ventilation | the breathing in of air or oxygen or providing breaths artificialy |
| ventral | referring to the front of the body, a synonym for anterior |
| ventricles | the two lower chamber of the heart; the right ventricle sends oxygen-poor blood to the lungs and the left ventricle sends oxygen-rich blood to the body |
| ventricular fibrillation (VF) | a condition in which the hearts electrical impulses are disorganized, preventing the heart muscle from contracting normally |
| ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach) | a condition in which the heart beat is quite rapid; if rapid enough V-Tach will not let the heart's chambers to fill with enough blood between beats to produce blood flow sufficient to meet the body's needs |
| venturi mask | a face mask ans resivoir bag device that delivers specific concentrations of oxygen by mixing oxygen with inhaled air |
| venule | the smallest kind of vein |
| vertebrea | the 33 bones of the spinal column |
| viseral pain | a poorly localized, dull or diffuse pain that arises from the abdominal organs, or viscera |
| voluntary muscle | muscles that can be consciously controlled |
| xiphoid process | the inferior portion of the sternum |
| zoonotic | able to move through the animal-human barrier; transmissible from animal to humans |
| zygomatic arches | form the structure of the cheeks |
| buccal | oriented toward the inside of the cheek; relating to or toward the cheek |
| resistance | the opposition of the body to the passage of gases into an open space; eg, airway resistance to ventilation |
| compliance | the elasticity of the lungs; the change in lung volume in response to a change in pressure |
| diffusion | movement of a gas from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration |
| perfusion | adequate supply of blood to the tisues |
| pulmonary shunting | the mixture of unoxygenated blood with oxygenated blood leaving the lungs caused by a missmatch between ventilation and perfusion of lung segments |
| atelectasis | a collapsed or airless lung or lung segment |
| hypoxemia | insufficient oxygenation of the blood; an arterial oxygen level less that 80 torr |
| Laryngospasm | forceful conraction of the laryngeal muscles |
| alimentary system | the digestive system |
| angioedema | an immunologically produced swelling of the skin, mucous membranes, or ubterbak organs |
| cricoid pressure | application of pressure on the cricoid cartilage to prevent gastric insufflation, regurgitation, and aspiration and to aid in visualization of the vocal cords; also known as the sellick maneuver |
| trismus | muscle spasm resulting in clenching of the jaw |
| nare | nostril |
| Obtundation | refers to less than full mental capacity in a medical patient, typically as a result of a medical condition or trauma; The root word, obtund, means "dulled or less sharp" |
| Induction | introduction of drugs that produce sedation and amnesia |
| rapid sequence intuabation | an organized sequence of induction and paralysis used to aid and control an invasive procedure such as intubation |
| Parasympathetic nervous system | Division of the nervous system that maintains normal body functions |
| sympathetic nervous system | division of the nervous system that produces the fight-or-flight response |
| fibrinolytic | a medication which brecks down a blood clot |
| peripheral veins | the veins of the arms and legs and the external jugular vein |
| central veins | veins that are part of the central circulation, including the internal jugular vein, the subclavian vein, and the femoral vein |
| parenteral routes | routes of nedication other than by the digestive tract, including intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraosseous, transdermal, tracheal, and inhalation |
| enteral routes | routes of medication through the digestive tract, including oral, sublingual, and rectal |
| depolarizing agents | paralytic agents chemically similar to acetylcholine that bind to muscle receptor sites, cause muscle contraction, and then continue to occupy the receptor sites, preventing further contraction |
| motor endplate | the point at which nerve and muscle interact |
| acetylcholine | chemical, released when a nerve inpulse reaches the motor endplate, that binds to receptors on the muscle cells, creating electrical and chemical changes that result in muscle contraction |
| pulse pressure | the difference betewwn to systolic and diastolic blood pressrues |
| pleuritic chest pain | sharp, stabbing pain, worsened by coughing, sneezing, deep breathing, or movement |
| cardiac tamponade | accumulation of excess fluid in the pericardium |
| paradoxical pulse | suppression of the pulse at the close of inspiratio |
| obstructive shock | shock resulting from a mechanical obstruction of the circulatory system, such as tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, or pulmonary emboli |
| bleb | a small blister |
| skin vitals | skin color, temperature and moisture |
| hypovolemia | loss of body fluid that ultimately results in shock |
| afterload | the resistance against which the heart must pump |
| acidosis | excessive acidity of body fluids |
| frank-starling mechanism | attribute of heart muscle by which the more it is stretched the more strongly it will contract |
| preload | the bolume of blood delivered to the heart |
| cardiac output | the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle each minute |
| stroke volume | the amount of blood ejected from the leftventricle with each heartbeat |
| succinylcholine | Paralytic, depolarizing agent, 1.5 mg/kg, 30-60 seconds onset, 3-10 minute duration |
| Vecuronium | paralytic, nondepolarizing agent, .01 mg/kg, 1 minute onset, 3-5 minute peak effect, 30-45 minute duration |
| Pancuronium | paralytic, nondepolarizing agent, .04-.01 mg/kg, 2-3 minute onset, 60-75 minute duration. May increase heart rate and blood pressure |
| Rocuronium | paralytic, nondepolarizing agent, .6-1.2 mg/kg, 1 minute onset with a peak effect 2-3 minutes, 20-30 minute duration |
| intravenous | within or by means of a vein |
| intraosseous | situated within, occuring within, or administered by entering a bone |
| intramuscular | situated within, occuring within, or administered by entering a muscle |
| subcutaneous | under the skin |
| transdermal | supplying a medication in a form for absorbtion through the skin into the bloodstream |
| phlebitis | inflammation of a vein |
| extravasation | the process of exuding or passing out of a vessel into surrounding tissues |
| crystalloid solution | IV solutions such as normal saline and lactated ringer's solutions, they have small molecules and a low osmotic pressures which allows them to be absorbed into body tissues |
| colloid solution | IV solutions such as whole blood and plasma, have large molecules and high osmotic pressures which allows them to remain in the vascular space and makes them ideal for fluid resuscitation. |
| hypotonic solutions | have a lower solute concentration than the body's cells. One hypotonic solution is .45 saline (sodium chloride) |
| hypertonic solutions | have a greater solute concentration than the body's cells. An example is 3% saline (sodium chloride) |
| isotonic solutions | have a solute concentration equal to the body's cells. Lactated ringer's solution and normal saline (.9%) are examples |
| gtt/min | volume to be infused X gtt/min of administration set / time of infusion in minutes |
| promethazine | antihistamine used to treat allergies and as a antiemetic used to treat motion sickness |
| antiemetic | a drug that alleviates or prevents nausea and vomiting |
| antihistamine | a medicine used to treat allergies and hypersensitive reactions and colds; works by counteracting the effects of histamine on a recepter site. |
| petechia | a minute reddish or puplish spot containing blood that appears in skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhage. |
| pulmonary emboli | obstructions of pulmonary arteries, usually blood clots. |
| clot shower | occurrence of multiple blood clots. |
| anaphylatic shock | sever allergic reaction; an exaggerated response of the immune system. |
Created by:
schapy21