Term | Definition |
adventitious sounds | abnormal breath sounds |
afebrile | without fever; the body temperature is normal |
alveolus | a thin-walled air sac of the lungs in which the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place |
antecubital space | the space located at the front of the elbow |
antipyretic | an agent that reduces fever |
aorta | the major trunk of the arterial system of the body. The aorta arises from the upper surface of the left ventricle |
apnea | the temporary cessation of breathing |
axilla | the armpit |
bounding pulse | a pulse with an increased volume that feels very strong and full |
bradycardia | an abnormally slow heart rate (less than 60 beats per minute) |
bradypnea | an abnormal decrease in the respiratory rate of less than 10 respirations per minute |
Celsius scale | a temperature scale on which the freezing point of water is zero and the boiling point is one hundred; also called centigrade scale |
conduction | the transfer of energy, such as heat, from one object to another by direct contact |
convection | the transfer of energy, such as heat, through air currents |
crisis | a sudden falling of an elevated body temperature to normal |
cyanosis | a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes |
diastole | the phase in the cardiac cycle in which the heart relaxes between contractions |
diastolic pressure | the point of lesser pressure on the arterial wall, which is recorded during diastole |
dyspnea | shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing |
dysrhythmia | an irregular rhythm; also termed arrhythmia |
eupnea | normal respiration. The rate is 16 to 20 respirations per minute, the rhythm is even and regular, and the depth is normal |
exhalation | the act of breathing out |
Fahrenheit scale | the temperature scale on which the freezing point is 32 degrees and the boiling point is 212 degrees |
febrile | pertaining to fever |
fever | a body temperature that is above normal; synonym for pyrexia |
frenulum linguae | the midline fold that connects the undersurface of the tongue with the floor of the mouth |
hyperpnea | an abnormal increase in the rate and depth of respiration |
hyperpyrexia | an extremely high fever |
hypertension | high blood pressure |
hyperventilation | an abnormally fast and deep type of breathing, usually associated with acute anxiety problems |
hypopnea | an abnormal decrease in the rate and depth of respiration |
hypotention | low blood pressure |
hypothermia | a body temperature that is below normal |
hypoxemia | a decrease in the oxygen saturation of the blood, may lead to hypoxia |
hypoxia | a reduce in the oxygen supply to the tissues of the body |
inhalation | the act of breathing in |
intercostal | between the ribs |
korotkoff sounds | sounds heard during the measurement of blood pressure that are used to determine the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings |
malaise | a vague sense of body discomfort, weakness, and fatigue that often marks the onset of a disease and continues through the course of the illness |
manometer | an instrument for measuring pressure |
meniscus | the curved surface on a column of liquid in a tube |
orthpnea | the condition in which breathing is easier when an individual is in a sitting or standing position |
pulse oximeter | a computerized device consisting of a probe and a monitor used to measure the oxygen saturation of arterial blood |
pulse oximetry | the use of a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen saturation of arterial blood |
pulse pressure | the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures |
pulse rhythm | the time interval between heartbeats |
radiation | the transfer of energy, such as heat, in the form of waves |
SaO2 | abbreviation for the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen in arterial blood as measured by a pulse oximeter |
stethoscope | an instrument used for amplifying and hearing sounds produced by the body |
systole | the phase in the cardiac cycle in which the ventricles contract, sending blood out of the heart and into the aorta and pulmonary |
systolic pressure | the point of maximum pressure on the arterial walls, which is recorded during systole |
tachycardia | an abnormally fast heart rate(more than 100 beats per minute) |
tachypnea | an abnormal increase in the respiratory rate of more than 20 respirations per minute |
thready pulse | a pulse with a decreased volume that feels weak and thin |