| Question | Answer |
| T | temperature: afebrile/elevated=fever/low=hypothermia around 37C-normal; above 37-slight; above 38-moderate; above 39-severe; above 40-dangerous; above 41-fatal |
| P | pulse: volume - weak/normal/bounding or strong; rate - #bpm; rhythm - regular/irregular |
| R | respiration: rate - #breaths/min; rhythm - regular/irregular; depth - shallow/normal/deep |
| BP | blood pressure |
| Ht | height |
| Wt | weight |
| COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| COLD | chronic obstructive lung disease |
| RT | Respiratory Technologist |
| RRCP | Registered Respiratory Care Practitioner |
| Tb | tuberculosis |
| DB&C | deep breathing and coughing |
| ABG | arterial blood gases |
| BMI | body mass index |
| CCU | coronary care unit |
| ICU | intensive care unit |
| CSM | circulation, sensation, movement |
| CVA | cerebrovascular accident |
| SPD | sterile processing unit |
| PFT | pulmonary function test |
| PVA | peripheral vascular assessment |
| PRN, p.r.n. | as required |
| qid, q.i.d. | four times per day |
| qd, q.d. | daily, once per day |
| bid, b.i.d. | twice per day |
| q8h, q12h, q4h | every 8, 12, 4 hours |
| eupnea | good/normal breathing |
| orthopnea | difficult breathing due to position, good breathing only when elevated/upright (straight) |
| dyspnea | difficulty breathing |
| essential (primary) hypertension | idiopathic (cause unknown) |
| secondary hypertension | associated with disease |
| hypotension | consistently under 100/60; caused by heart failure, depression, shock |
| hypertension | consistently about 140/90; caused by obesity, stress, high salt intake, aging |
| celsius to fahrenheit
fahrenheit to celsius | multiply by 1.8 and add 32
subtract 32 and divide by 1.8 |
| DVT | deep vein thrombosis |
| PVC | premature ventricular contraction |
| HF | heart failure |
| PAC | premature atrial contraction |
| CAD | coronary artery disease |
| SA | sinoatrial node |
| DOE | dyspnea on exertion |
| AAA | abdominal aortic aneurysm |
| BBB | bundle-branch block |
| VT | ventricular tachycardia |
| ACE | angiotensin-converting enzyme |
| MI | myocardial infarct; heart attack; heart damage(tissue death)caused by O2 deficiency; CAD often the cause |
| ECHO | echocardiogram, graph, graphy |
| CHD | coronary heart disease |
| CHF | congestive heart failure |
| ECG/EKG | electrocardiogram, graph, graphy |
| CPR | cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
| CC | cardiac catheterization |
| MRA | magnetic resonance angiogram, graph, graphy |
| arteriosclerosis | hardening of the arteries reducing blood flow |
| atherosclerosis | buildup and hardening of fatty plaque on arterial walls |
| crash cart | mobile cart stocked with supplies needed to treat cardiac arrest/myocardial infarct |
| CVA | cerebrovascular accident; stroke; blood supply to brain is diminished or occluded completely |
| hypertension | excessive force of the blood against the vessel walls as the heart pumps |
| systolic pressure | pressure on the arterial walls when the heart is contracting |
| diastolic pressure | pressure on the arterial walls when the heart is relaxing |
| CHF | congestive heart failure; a weakened heart is unable to pump all of the blood out of the lungs on each beat; blood pools at the bottom of lungs, interfering with breathing |
| arrhythmia | loss of normal rhythm of the heartbeat; irregular heart beat |
| atrial fibrillation | abnormal heart rhythm where atria beat faster than ventricals; fast and irregular |
| pneumonia | acute infection of the tissues of the lung |
| asthma | disease affecting air passages of lungs, wheezing and shortness of breath |
| emphysema | a COPD with gradual destruction of the alveoli, gas exchange compromised and inadequate |
| COLD COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary/lung disease; any chronic lung condition where the flow of expired air is slowed |
| hemorrhage | loss of a large (500cc/adult) amount of blood |
| hypoxia | insufficient oxygen in blood or tissue |
| postural drainage | positioning client with head below body so gravity can help drain mucus and secretions from lungs |
| clapping/percussion | using cupped hands to gently but firmly strike affected regions of the chest to move secretions |
| vibrations | rapid movements of flattened hands over the client's chest to move secretions |
| crackles/crepitation | 'bubbling' lung sounds like heard on auscultation produced by air passing over airway secretions |
| rhonchi/wheezes | 'musically pitched' lung sounds produced by air passing through narrowed bronchi, heard on auscultation |
| pulse oximetry | arterial blood oxygen saturation; normal is 95%; sensor on Pt finger usually |
| thoracocentesis or pleural tap | for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes; procedure to remove fluid from pleura and chest wall |
| incentive spirometer | sustained maximal inspiration device; used after surgery to encourage deep breathing exercises; assess efficacy of breathing |
| inhalation therapy | metered dose inhaler, for example |
| oxygen therapy | supplemental oxygen for clients with low O2 levels; from cylinder, wall, portable tank, or oxygen concentrator; mask or nasal prongs |
| tracheostomy | an artificial airway through an incision in the trachea |
| tracheotomy | the incision into the trachea in order to place an artificial airway (tube) |
| suctioning | negative pressure applied to remove mucus, phlegm and other secretions from the airway |
| oropharyngeal suctioning (tube) | catheter through the mouth to suction mouth to back of throat |
| nasopharyngeal suctioning (tube) | catheter through the nose to suction nose, mouth, throat |
| deep suctioning (endotracheal tube) | catheter suctions lower trachea and bronchi |
| endotracheal suctioning (tube) | catheter suctions through the artifical airway (tracheostomy) |
| PVA | peripheral vascular assessment - done when PVD is suspected to determine extent of disease. |
| Telemetry Unit | 'step down' from intensive care; client is fitted with a telemetry monitor which allows for ongoing assessment of cardiac function without confining client to bed. |
| pacemaker | small electronic device that regulates heartbeat with electrical stimulation to the heart |
| bradycardia | extremely slow heartbeat; below 60. |
| apnea | lack of, not, breathing |
| rales | lung sound (like rattles) heard on auscultation; indicates accumulation of fluid in lungs |
| Cheyne-Stokes | abnormal pattern of breathing with progressively deeper and sometimes faster breathing, followed by a gradual decrease that results in apnea; cycle usually takes 30 seconds to 2 mins.; associated with changing serum partial pressures of o2 and co2. |
| idiopathic | without known cause |
| tachypnea | fast breathing |
| afebrile | without elevated temp |
| sublingual | under the tongue |
| bradypnea | slow breathing |
| albumin/o | albumin, protein |
| angi/o | blood, lymph vessel |
| aort/o | aorta |
| arteri/o | artery |
| arteriol/o | arteriole |
| ather/o | fatty plaque |
| atri/o | atrium |
| bilirubin/o | bilirubin |
| cardi/o | heart |
| coron/o | coronary, crown |
| ech/o | sound |
| electr/o | electricity |
| embol/o | plug, embolus |
| erythr/o | red |
| fibrill/o | muscular twitching |
| fibrin/o | fibrin, threads of a clot |
| hem/o | blood |
| hemangi/o | blood vessel |
| hemat/o | blood |
| isch/o | hold back |
| leuk/o | white |
| lip/o | fat |
| lipid/o | fat |
| macr/o | large |
| my/o | muscle |
| phag/o | eating, swallowing |
| phleb/o | vein |
| reticul/o | network |
| scler/o | hardening |
| ser/o | serum |
| sept/o | septum; wall or barrier |
| septi/o | seven |
| septic/o | poison |
| sten/o | narrowing |
| sphygm/o | pulse |
| thromb/o | clot, thrombus |
| valv/o | valve |
| valvul/o | valve |
| vas/o | blood, lymph vessel |
| vascul/o | blood, lymph vessel |
| ven/o | vein |
| ventricul/o | ventricle |
| capill/o | capillary |
| ven/o | veins; venules |
| con-
stringere
constriction | together
to draw
binding, squeezing, narrowing |
| dilatare | to enlarge |
| heat | warmth of infected tissues compared to surrounding uninfected tissues |
| an- | without, not, less than |
| brady- | slow |
| extra- | outside |
| per- | through |
| pro- | before, in behalf of |
| trans- | across |
| anti- | against |
| epi- | upper |
| endo- | within |
| peri- | around |
| tachy- | fast, rapid |
| -cyte | cell |
| -emia | blood condition |
| -gram | record |
| -graphy | process of recording |
| -oma | tumour |
| -phage | cell that destroys, eats |
| -stasis | stopping, controlling |
| -crasia | mixture, blending |
| -fusion | mixture |
| -desis | binding, fusion |
| -graph | instrument to record |
| -itis | inflammation |
| -penia | deficiency of |
| -spasm | sudden involuntary contraction |
| -stenosis | narrowing, stricture |
| homeostasis | maintaining a stable internal environment |
| alveol/o | air sac; alveolus
alveolar |
| adenoid/o | adenoid
adenoidectomy |
| atel/o | incomplete; imperfect
atelectasis - incomplete expansion of the lung (collapsed lung, airless lung) |
| anthrac/o | black
anthracosis - abnormal condition of coal dust in the lung |
| bronch/o, bronchi/o | brochial tubes
bronchoscope |
| bronchial/o | bronchioles
bronchiolitis |
| cyan/o | blue
cyanosis |
| coni/o | dust
pneumoconiosis - abnormal condition of dust in the lungs |
| hem/o | blood
hemoglobin |
| laryng/o | larynx, voice box
laryngitis |
| lob/o | lobe
lobectomy |
| nas/o | nose
nasal |
| or/o | mouth
oral |
| ox/i, ox/o | oxygen
oximeter |
| oxy- | quick, sharp or oxygen
oxygeusia - abnormally keen sense of taste
oxyrhine - having a sharp pointed nose or an acute sense of smell
oxygenase - enzyme that enables organism to use atmospheric oxygen in respiration |
| olfact/o | smell; sense of smell; olfactory neurons
olfactory |
| orth/o | straight, correct, normal, in proper order
orthopnea - labored breathing while lying flat, improves when sitting or standing |
| pharyng/o | pharynx; throat
pharyngocele - hernia through the pharangeal wall |
| pector/o | chest
pectoriloquy - distinct transmission of vocal sounds during auscultation, over areas of consolidation, pneumothorax and some pleural effusions |
| pneum/o, pneumon/o | lungs, air
pneumothorax - air in chest
pneumonopathy - any diseased condition of the lung |
| pulm/o, pulmon/o | lungs
pulmonary |
| pleur/o | pleura; side of body; rib
pleuracotomy - incision into the pleura through the chest wall |
| phren/o | diaphragm; mind
phrenodynia - pain in the diaphragm |
| phon/o | sound, voice
phonocardiogram |
| rhin/o | nose
rhinoplasty |
| steth/o | chest
stethoscope |
| sphygm/o | pulse
sphygmomanometer |
| sinus/o | sinus, cavity
sinusitis |
| sept/o | septum, wall or barrier |
| spir/o | breathing, breath
spirometer |
| tonsill/o | tonsils
tonsillitis |
| trache/o | trachea; windpipe
tracheostomy |
| thorac/o | chest
thoracograph |
| epiglott/o | epiglottis
epiglottitis |
| a- | without, not, absence of
anoxia |
| brady- | slow
bradycardia |
| dys- | bad; painful; difficult
dyspnea |
| eu- | good; normal
eupnea |
| tachy- | rapid
tachypnea |
| -capnia | carbon dioxide CO2
hypercapnia |
| -meter | instrument to measure
oximeter |
| -pnea | breathing
apnea |
| -phonia | voice
dysphonia |
| -spasm | sudden involuntary contraction; twitching
bronchospasm - as in asthma |
| -ectasis | stretching, dilation, enlargement
bronchiectasis - dilation of one or more bronchi |
| -osmia | smell
anosmia |
| -plegia | paralysis, stroke
laryngoplegia - paralysis of vocal cords and larynx |
| -ptysis | spitting
hemoptysis - spitting up blood |
| -thorax | pleural cavity, chest
pneumothorax - air in chest (pleural cavity) |
| ABG(S) | arterial blood gases |
| ARDS | acute respiratory distress syndrome |
| COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| FEV | forced expiratory volume |
| PaCO2, PCO2 | partial pressure of carbon dioxide |
| PFT | pulmonary function test |
| pH | symbol for acidity or alkalinity, potentia hydrogenii (power potential of hydrogen); neutral 7; below 7 acid; above 7 alkaline |
| PO2 | partial pressure of oxygen |
| RD | respiratory distress |
| SIDS/SUDS | Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome |
| URI | upper respiratory infection |
| VC | vital capacity |
| Hx | history |
| AFB | acid-fast bacillus |
| AP | anteroposterior |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide |
| CXR | chest x-ray, chest radiograph |
| FVC | forced vital capacity |
| HMD | hyaline membrane disease |
| IPPB | intermittent positive-pressure breathing |
| IRDS | infant respiratory distress syndrome |
| NMTs | nebulized mist treatments |
| O2 | oxygen |
| PA | posteroanterior; pernicious anemia |
| PCP | pneumocystic carinii peneumonia |
| PND | paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea |
| RDS | respiratory distress syndrome |
| SaO2 | arterial oxygen saturation |
| SOB | shortness of breath |
| T & A | tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy |
| TB | tuberculosis |
| atelectasis | inability of the lung to expand properly |
| bronchiectasis | chronic dilation of a bronchus or bronchi |
| Cheyne-Stokes respirations | breathing characterized by fluctuations in the depth of the respirations (death rattle) |
| compliance | the ease with which lung tissue can be stretched |
| Cystic Fibrosis | hereditary disease of the exocrine glands affecting the respiratory system, pancreas and sweat glands |
| epistaxis | nosebleed |
| hemoptysis | condition of spitting up blood |
| hemothorax | blood in the chest cavity |
| histamines | body substances that dilate blood vessels, causing swelling and inflammation in nasal passages |
| hypercapnia | condition of increased amount of CO2 in blood |
| mediastinum | space between the right and left lung, which contains the heart, aorta, esophagus, and the bronchi |
| nasopharynx | throat above the soft palate, behind the nose |
| pneumonconiosis | abnormal condition of dust in the lungs |
| sputum | abnormal viscous fluid formed in the lower respiratory tract that often contains blood, pus, bacteria |
| tonsillotome | instrument to cut tonsils |
| surfactant | substance that decreases surface tension in the alveoli allowing expansion |
| Forced Expiratory Volume FEV | max amount of air that can be expelled after max inspiration |
| Tidal Volume TV | amount of air that moves in and out during normal breathing |
| -lysis | separation; destruction; loosening |
