Prehospital Emergency Care: Anatomy & Physiology Medical Terminology (Video Notes) – VOCABULARY Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical terms, body planes, directional terms, anatomical regions, joints, major body systems, and foundational medical terminology as presented in the video notes.

Anatomical position

Standing upright, facing forward, arms at sides with palms forward.

Supine position

Lying on the back with the face upward.

Prone position

Lying face down, on the abdomen.

Lateral recumbent position

Lying on either the left or right side.

Fowler’s position

Seated with the upper body elevated.

Semi-Fowler’s position

Slightly elevated upper body (less upright than Fowler’s).

Trendelenburg position

Body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet.

Shock position

Supine with legs elevated to improve venous return.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into left and right portions.

Midsagittal (median) plane

A sagittal plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves.

Frontal (coronal) plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.

Transverse (horizontal) plane

A horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

Midline

An imaginary line that runs down the center of the body.

Midaxillary line

A vertical reference line running through the midpoint of the armpit.

Proximal

Nearer to the point of reference or trunk.

Distal

Farther from the point of reference or trunk.

Palmar

The palm of the hand.

Dorsal (posterior)

Back side of the body.

Ventral (anterior)

Front side of the body.

Superior

Above; toward the head.

Inferior

Below; toward the feet.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline; toward the side.

Umbilical region

Central abdominal region around the navel.

Inguinal region

Groin area.

Xiphoid process

Lower, or distal, end of the sternum.

Manubrium

Upper portion of the sternum.

Angle of Louis

Sternal angle where the manubrium meets the body of the sternum.

Suprasternal notch

The upper notch at the top of the sternum.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Joint between the temporal bone and the mandible.

Humerus

The bone of the upper arm.

Ilium

Part of the pelvis (hip bone).

Femur

The thigh bone.

Ball-and-socket joint

Joint with a rounded bone end fitting into a cup-like socket for wide motion.

Hinged joint

Joint allowing movement in one plane (e.g., elbow, knee).

Pivot joint

Joint that rotates around a single axis.

Gliding joint

Joint where flat surfaces slide past one another.

Saddle joint

Joint with two planes of movement; example: thumb.

Condyloid joint

Ellipsoidal joint allowing movement in two planes.

Flexion and extension

Bending (flexion) and straightening (extension) of a joint.

Abduction and adduction

Movement away from (abduction) and toward (adduction) the midline.

Circumduction

Circular movement combining flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.

Pronation and supination

Rotation of forearm; palm faces down (pronation) or up (supination).

Skeletal muscle

Voluntary muscle attached to bone that produces movement.

Cardiac muscle

Involuntary muscle of the heart.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange with blood occurs.

Diaphragm

Primary muscle of respiration that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

Upper vs. lower airway

Upper airway includes nose, mouth, pharynx; lower airway includes larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli.

Pleural membranes

Parietal and visceral pleura membranes surrounding the lungs.

Hemoglobin

Protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Oxygen transport (percentages)

Most O2 is carried bound to hemoglobin; a small portion is dissolved in plasma.

Carbon dioxide transport (percentages)

CO2 mainly carried as bicarbonate in plasma; some bound to hemoglobin; some dissolved.

Perfusion

Fluid/air delivery to tissue via circulation.

Hypoperfusion

Inadequate blood flow to tissues.

Digestive system

System for ingestion, digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of wastes.

Kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra

Major components of the urinary system that filter blood and excrete wastes.

Endocrine system

Glands that release hormones to regulate body functions.

Epinephrine (adrenaline)

Hormone produced by the adrenal glands that stimulates the sympathetic response.

Integumentary system

Skin and related structures; protects body, regulates temperature, senses stimuli.

Epidermis, Dermis, Subcutaneous

Three layers of the skin: outer protective layer, middle supportive layer, and fatty layer beneath.

Nervous system divisions

Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and Peripheral nervous system (nerves).

Autonomic nervous system

Involuntary nervous system with sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/digest) divisions.

Pediatric vs Geriatric differences

Age-specific anatomical/physiological differences affecting assessment and treatment.

Medical terminology basics

Use of prefixes, roots, combining forms, and suffixes to build terms (e.g., hypo-, hyper-, tachy-, brady-, -emia, -ia).