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Medical Terms PCP310
PCP 310
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Aberrant conduction | Aberrant conduction - conduction of the electrical impulse through the heart’s conductive system in an abnormal fashion. |
| 2. Abrasion | Scraping or abrading away of the superficial layers of the skin; an open soft tissue injury. |
| 3. Absolute refractory period | The period of the cardiac cycle when stimulation will not produce any depolarization whatsoever. |
| 4. Acquired immunity | Immunity that develops over time and results from exposure to an antigen |
| 5. Active immunity | Acquired immunity that occurs following exposure to an antigen and results in the production of antibodies specific for the antigen |
| 6. Acute arterial occlusion | The sudden occlusion of arterial blood flow |
| 7. Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) | Form of pulmonary edema that is caused by fluid accumulation in the interstitial space within the lungs |
| 8. Allergen | A substance capable of inducing a specific hypersensitivity. Allergens may be protein or non-protein although most are protein |
| 9. Allergic Reaction | Exaggerated response by the immune system to a foreign substance |
| 10. Allergy | A hypertensive state acquired though exposure to a particular allergen |
| 11. Amputation | Severance, removal, or detachment, either partial or complete, of a body part |
| 12. Anaphylaxis | An unusual or exaggerated allergic reaction to a foreign protein or other substance |
| 13. Aneurysm | A weakening or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel |
| 14. Angina pectoris | Chest pain that results when the blood supply’s oxygen demands exceed the hearts |
| 15. Angio edema | Marked edema of the skin that usually involves the head, neck, and upper airway a common manifestation of severe allergic reaction and anaphylaxis |
| 16. Anoxia | The absence or near absence of oxygen |
| 17. Antibody | Principle agent of a chemical attack of an invading substance |
| 18. Antigen | Any substance that is capable under appropriate conditions of inducing specific immune response |
| 19. Apnea | Absence of breathing |
| 20. Arrhythmia | The absence of cardiac electrical activity; often used interchangeably with dysrhythmia. |
| 21. Arteriosclerosis | A thickening, loss of elasticity, and hardening of the walls of the arteries from calcium deposits. |
| 22. Artifact | Deflection on the ECG produced by factors other than the heart’s electrical activity. |
| 23. Ascites | Bulges in flanks and abdomen |
| 24. Asphyxia | A decrease in the amount of oxygen and an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide as a result of some interference with respiration |
| 25. Atherosclerosis | A progressive, degenerative disease of the medium-sized and large arteries. |
| 26. Auscultation | Listening with a stethoscope for sounds produced by the body |
| 27. Avulsion | Forceful tearing away or separation of body tissue; an avulsion may be partial or complete. |
| 28. Babinski response | Big toe dorsi flex and other toes fan out when sole is stimulated. |
| 29. Bag-valve mask | Ventilation device consisting of a self inflating bag with two one way values and a transparent plastic face mask |
| 30. Basophil | Type of white blood cell that participates in allergic responses |
| 31. Battle’s sign | Black and blue discolouration over the mastoid process. |
| 32. Bipolar leads | ECG leads apply to the arms and legs that contain two electrodes of opposite polarity (leads 1, 2, 3). |
| 33. Blood pressure | Force of blood against arterial walls |
| 34. Bradycardia | Pulse rate slower than 60 BPM |
| 35. Bradypnea | Slow breathing |
| 36. Bruit | The sound of turbulent blood flow through a vessel; usually associated with atherosclerotic disease. |
| 37. Bundle branch block | A kind of interventricular heart block in which conduction through either the right or left bundle branch is blocked or delayed. |
| 38. Bundle of Kent | An accessory AV conduction pathway that is thought to be responsible for the ECG findings of pre-excitation syndrome. |
| 39. Capnography | The measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide concentration |
| 40. Cardiac arrest | The absence of ventricular contraction. |
| 41. Cardiac monitor | Machine displays electrical activity of the heart |
| 42. Cardiac tamponade | Accumulation of excess fluid inside the pericardium. |
| 43. Cardiogenic shock | The inability of the heart to meet the metabolic needs of the body, resulting in inadequate tissue perfusion. |
| 44. Cellular immunity | Immunity resulting from a direct attack of a foreign substance by specialized cells of the immune system |
| 45. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) | A disease characterized by a decreased ability of the lungs to perform the function of ventilation. |
| 46. Claudication | Severe pain in the calf muscle due to inadequate blood supply. It typically occurs with exertion and subsides with rest. |
| 47. Closed pneumothorax | Air enters the pleural space through an opening in the pleura that covers the lung |
| 48. Collagen | Tough, strong protein that comprises most of the body’s connective tissue. |
| 49. Co-morbidity | Associated disease process. |
| 50. Compartment syndrome | Muscle ischemia that is caused by rising pressures within an anatomic fascial space. |
| 51. Compliance | The stiffness or flexibility of the lung tissue |
| 52. Congestive heart failure (CHF) | Condition in which the heart’s reduced stroke volume causes an overload of fluid in the body’s other tissues. |
| 53. Contusion | Closed wound in which the skin is unbroken, although damage has occurred to the tissue immediately beneath. |
| 54. Cor pulmonale | Hypertrophy of the right ventricle resulting from disorders of the lung |
| 55. Crackles | Light crackling and popping heard during inspiration |
| 56. Crepitation | Crunching sounds of unlubricated parts of joints rubbing against each other. |
| 57. Crepitus | Crackling sounds |
| 58. Crush injury | Mechanism of injury in which tissue is locally compressed by high-pressure forces. |
| 59. Crush syndrome | Systemic disorder of severe metabolic disturbances resulting from the crush of a limb or other body part. |
| 60. Cullen’s sign | Discolouration around the umbilicus |
| 61. CVD (Cardiovascular disease) | Disease affecting the heart, peripheral blood vessels or both. |
| 62. Cyanosis | Bluish discolouration of the skin due to significantly reduced hemoglobin in the blood. The condition is directly related to poor ventilation |
| 63. Decerebrate | Arms and legs extended |
| 64. Decorticate | Arms flexed and legs flexed |
| 65. Deep venous thrombosis | A blood clot in the vein |
| 66. Defibrillation | The process of passing an electrical current through a fibrillating heart to depolarize a critical mass of myocardial cells. This allows them to depolarize uniformly, resulting in an organized rhythm. |
| 67. Degloving injury | Avulsion in which the mechanism of injury tears the skin off the underlying muscle, tissue, blood vessels, and bone. |
| 68. Delayed hypersensitivity reaction | It takes place after the elapse of some time following re-exposure to an antigen. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions are usually less severe than immediate reactions |
| 69. Diaphoresis | Sweatiness |
| 70. Diastolic blood pressure | Force of blood when heart is relaxed |
| 71. Diffusion | The movement of molecules through a membrane from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration |
| 72. Dissecting aortic aneurysm | Aneurysm caused when blood gets between and separates the layers of the aortic wall. |
| 73. Down time | Duration from the beginning of the cardiac arrest until effective CPR is established. |
| 74. Dyspnea | Difficult or laboured breathing; a sensation of “shortness of breath” |
| 75. Dysrhythmias | Any deviation from the normal electrical rhythm of the heart |
| 76. Ecchymosis | Blue black discolouration of the skin due to leakage of blood into the tissues |
| 77. Ectopic beat | Cardiac depolarization resulting from depolarization of ectopic focus. |
| 78. Ectopic focus | Non-pacemaker heart cell that automatically depolarizes; pl. ectopic foci. |
| 79. Electrocardiogram | The graphic recording of the heart’s electrical activity. It may be displayed either on paper or on an oscilloscope. |
| 80. Epithelialization | Early stage of wound healing in which epithelial cells migrate over the surface of the wound. |
| 81. Erythema | General reddening of the skin due to dilation of the superficial capillaries. |
| 82. Extubation | Removing a tube from a body opening |
| 83. Fibroblasts | Specialized cells that form collagen. |
| 84. Flail chest | 3 or more ribs fractured in two or more places, creating an unattached rib segment |
| 85. Gangrene | Death of tissue or bone, usually from an insufficient blood supply; deep space infection usually caused by the anaerobic bacterium |
| 86. Glucometer | Tool used to measure BGL |
| 87. Granulocytes | White blood cells charged with the primary purpose of neutralizing foreign bacteria. |
| 88. Grey-Turner’s sign | Discolouration over the flanks suggesting intra-abdominal bleeding. |
| 89. Hematoma | Collection of blood beneath the skin or trapped within a body compartment. |
| 90. Hemoglobin | The transport protein that carries oxygen in the blood |
| 91. Hemopneumothorax | Condition where air and blood are in the pleural space. |
| 92. Hemoptysis | Coughing of blood that has origin in the respiratory tract. |
| 93. Hemostasis | The body’s natural ability to stop bleeding, the ability to clot blood. |
| 94. Hemothorax | Blood within the pleural space. |
| 95. Histamine | A product of mast cells and basophils that cause vasodilation, capillary permeability, bronchoconstriction and contraction of the gut |
| 96. Humoral immunity | Immunity resulting from attack of an invading substance by antibodies |
| 97. Hymenoptera | Any of an order of highly specialized insects such as bees and wasps |
| 98. Hypersensitivity | An unexpected and exaggerated reaction to a particular antigen it is used synonymously with term allergy |
| 99. Hypertension | Blood pressure higher than normal |
| 100. Hypertensive emergency | An acute elevation of blood pressure that requires the blood pressure to be lowered within one hour; characterized by end-organ changes, such as hypertensive encephalopathy, renal failure, or boldness. |
| 101. Hypertensive encephalopathy | A cerebral disorder of hypertension indicated by severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and altered mental status. Neurological symptoms may include blindness, muscle, twitches, inability to speak, weakness, and paralysis. |
| 102. Hyperthermia | Increased in body’s core temperature |
| 103. Hypotension | Blood pressure lower than normal |
| 104. Hypothermia | Decrease in body’s core temperature |
| 105. Hypoxia | State in which insufficient oxygen is available to meet the oxygen requirements of the cells |
| 106. Immediate hypertensive immune reaction | A reaction that occurs swiftly following re-exposure to an antigen. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions are usually more severe than delayed reactions. The swiftest and most severe of such reactions is anaphylaxis |
| 107. Immune Response | Complex cascade of events within the body that woks towards the destruction or inactivation of pathogens, abnormal cells, or foreign molecules |
| 108. Immune System | The body system responsible for combating infection |
| 109. Incision | Very smooth or surgical laceration, frequently caused by a knife, scalpel, razor blade, or piece of glass. |
| 110. Induced active immunity | Immunity achieved through vaccination given to generate an immune response that results in the development of antibodies specific for the injected antigen, also called artificially acquired immunity |
| 111. Inflammation | Complex process of local cellular and biochemical changes as a consequence of injury or infection; an early stage of healing. |
| 112. Inspection | The process of informed observation. |
| 113. Keloid | A formation resulting from overproduction of scar tissue. |
| 114. Korotkoff sounds | Sounds of blood hitting arterial walls |
| 115. Laceration | An open wound, normally a tear with jagged borders. |
| 116. Lesion | Any disruption on normal tissue |
| 117. Lymphangitis | Inflammation of the lymph channels, usually as a result of a distal infection. |
| 118. Macrophage | Immune system cell that has the ability to recognize and ingest foreign antibodies. |
| 119. Mast cells | Specialized cell of immune system that contains chemicals that assist in the immune response |
| 120. Myocardial infarction (MI) | Death and subsequent necrosis of the heart muscle caused by inadequate blood supply; also acute myocardial infarction. (AMI). |
| 121. Nasal cannula | Catheter placed at nares |
| 122. Nasal flaring | Excessive widening of the nares with respiration |
| 123. Nasopharyngeal airway | Uncuffed tube that allows a nature curvature of the nasal pharynx, passing through the nose and extending from the nostril to the posterior pharynx |
| 124. Natural immunity | Genetically pre-determined immunity that is present at birth, also called innate immunity |
| 125. Naturally acquired immunity | Immunity that begins to develop after birth and is continually enhanced by exposures to new pathogens and antigens throughout life |
| 126. Necrosis | Tissue death, usually from ischemia. |
| 127. Neovascularization | New growth of capillaries in response to healing. |
| 128. Non-compensatory pause | Pause following an ectopic beat when the SA node is depolarized and the underlying cadence of the heart is interrupted. |
| 129. Normal sinus rhythm | The normal heart rate rhythm. |
| 130. Open pneumothorax | Air enters the pleural space through an injury to the chest wall. |
| 131. Oropharyngeal airway | Semi circular device that follows the palates curvature. |
| 132. Orthopnea | Dyspnea while lying supine |
| 133. Pallor | Paleness |
| 134. Palpation | Using your sense of touch to gather info |
| 135. Paradoxical breathing | Asymmetrical chest wall movement that lessens respiratory efficiency |
| 136. Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea | Short attacks of dyspnea that occur at night and interrupt sleep |
| 137. Passive immunity | Acquired immunity that results from administration of antibodies either from the mother to the infant across the placenta barrier (natural passive immunity) or through vaccination (induced passive immunity) |
| 138. Pathogen | A disease-producing agent or substance |
| 139. Percussion | The production of sound waves by striking one object against another |
| 140. Perfusion | Blood movement through and organ or tissue |
| 141. Pericardial Tamponade | A restriction to cardiac filling caused by blood (or other fluid) within the pericardial sac. |
| 142. Pericardium | Area of the chest wall overlying the heart. |
| 143. Periorbital ecchymosis | Black and blue discolouration surrounding the eye sockets. |
| 144. Phagocytosis | Process in which a cell surrounds and absorbs a bacterium or other particle. |
| 145. Pleural friction rub | Squeaking of pleural linings |
| 146. Pneumothorax | Air in the pleural space. |
| 147. Polycythemia | An excess of red blood cells |
| 148. Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) | A method of holding the alveoli open by increasing expiratory pressure. Some bag-valve units used in EMS have PEEP attachments. Also, EMS personnel sometimes transport patients who are on ventilators with PEEP attachments |
| 149. Primary response | Initial, generalized response to an antigen |
| 150. Prinzmetal’s angina | Variant of angina pectoris caused by vasospasm of the coronary arteries, not blockage per se; also called vasospastic angina or atypical angina. |
| 151. Pulmonary embolism (PE) | Blood clot in one of the pulmonary arteries. |
| 152. Pulse Oximetry | A measurement of hemoglobin oxygen saturation in the peripheral tissues |
| 153. Pulse pressure | Difference between systolic and diastolic pressures |
| 154. Pulse quality | Strength which can be weak strong thready or bounding |
| 155. Pulse rate | Number of pulses felt in one minute |
| 156. Pulse rhythm | Pattern and equality of intervals between beats. |
| 157. Pulsus alternans | Alternating amplitude of the P, QRS, and T waves on the ECG rhythm strip as the heart swings in a pendulum-like fashion within the pericardial sac during tamponade. |
| 158. Pulsus Paradoxus | Drop of greater than 10 mmHg in the systolic blood pressure during the inspiratory phase of respiration that occurs in patients with pericardial tamponade. |
| 159. Puncture | Specific soft-tissue injury involving a deep, narrow wound to the skin and underlying organs that carries an increased danger of infection. |
| 160. QT interval | Period from the beginning of the QRS to the end of the T wave. |
| 161. Refractory period | The period of time when myocardial cell have not yet completely repolarized and cannot be stimulated again. |
| 162. Relative refractory period | The period of the cardiac cycle when a sufficiently strong stimulus may produce depolarization. |
| 163. Remodeling | Stage in the wound healing process in which collagen is broken down and re-laid in an orderly fashion. |
| 164. Respiration | The exchange of gases between a living organism and its environment |
| 165. Respiratory effort | How hard the pt. works to breath |
| 166. Respiratory rate | Number of times pt. breaths in a minute |
| 167. Resuscitation | Provision of efforts to return a spontaneous pulse and breathing. |
| 168. Return of spontaneous circulation | Resuscitation results in the patient’s having a spontaneous pulse. |
| 169. Rhabdomyolysis | Acute disease that involves the destruction of skeletal muscle. |
| 170. Rhonchi | Continuous sounds with a lower pitch (snoring quality) |
| 171. Secondary response | Response by the immune system that takes place if the body is exposed to the same antigen again; in secondary response, antibodies specific for the offending antigen is released |
| 172. Semi-Fowler’s position | Sitting up at 45 degrees |
| 173. Sensitization | Initial exposure of a person to an antigen that results in an immune response |
| 174. Sphygmomanometer | Blood pressure measuring device |
| 175. Spontaneous Pneumothorax | A pneumothorax (collection of air in the pleural space) that occurs spontaneously, in the absence of blunt or penetrating trauma |
| 176. Stridor | Inspiratory wheeze associated with laryngeal obstruction |
| 177. Subcutaneous emphysema | Presence of air in the subcutaneous tissue |
| 178. Sudden death | Death within one hour after the onset of symptoms. |
| 179. Synchronized cardioversion | The passage of an electric current through the heart during a specific part of the cardiac cycle to terminate certain kinds of dysrhythmias. |
| 180. Systolic blood pressure | Force of blood when ventricle contract |
| 181. Tachycardia | A heart rate of more than 100 bpm. |
| 182. Tachypnea | Fast breathing |
| 183. Tension lines | Natural patterns in the surface of the skin revealing tensions within. |
| 184. Tension Pneumothorax | Develops when air in the pleural space cannot escape, causing a buildup of pressure and collapse of the lung. |
| 185. Tidal volume | Amount of air move in and out of lungs in one breath |
| 186. Toxin | Any poisonous chemical secreted by bacteria or released following destruction of bacteria |
| 187. Tracheal deviation | Any position of the trachea other then midline |
| 188. Tracheal tugging | Retraction of the tissues of the neck due to airway obstruction or dyspnea |
| 189. Tracheobronchial Tree | The structures of the trachea and the bronchi. |
| 190. Transmural infarction | Myocardial infarction that affects the full thickness of the myocardium and almost always results in a pathological Q wave in the affected leads. |
| 191. Turgor | Normal tension of skin |
| 192. Upper Airway Obstruction | An interference with air movement through the upper airway |
| 193. Urticaria | The raised areas of wheals, that occur on the skin associated with vasodilation due to histamine release commonly called hives |
| 194. Varicose veins | Dilated superficial veins, usually in the lower extremity. |
| 195. Vasculitis | Inflammation of blood vessels. |
| 196. Ventilation | The mechanical process of moving air in and out of the lungs |
| 197. Venturi Mask | High flow mask that uses a venture system to deliver relatively precise oxygen flow |
| 198. Wheezes | Continuous musical sounds |
Created by:
SeanMcGee
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