Anatomy and Physiology for the EMT

Vocabulary flashcards covering core anatomical terminology, body positions, planes, organ systems, and physiological principles for EMT students.

Anatomy

The structure of the body (what it IS, where it is).

Physiology

The function of the body (what it DOES).

Pathophysiology

Functional changes from disease or injury (function, broken).

Anatomic Position

Standard reference position where the body is standing upright, arms at the sides, and palms facing forward.

Coronal (frontal) plane

An imaginary flat cut that divides the front of the body from the back.

Sagittal plane

An imaginary flat cut that divides the body into left and right portions.

Midsagittal (midline) plane

An imaginary plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves.

Transverse (axial) plane

An imaginary flat cut that divides the top of the body from the bottom.

Anterior (ventral)

Toward the front of the body.

Posterior (dorsal)

Toward the back of the body.

Superior

Toward the head.

Inferior

Toward the feet.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body.

Proximal

Closer to the trunk.

Distal

Farther from the trunk.

Bilateral

On both sides of the body.

Superficial

Near the surface.

Deep

Farther below the surface.

Flexion

Bending a joint (decreasing the angle).

Extension

Straightening a joint (increasing the angle).

Adduction

Movement toward the midline ("adds" to the body).

Abduction

Movement away from the midline.

Supine

Position of lying flat on the back.

Prone

Position of lying face down.

Recovery position

Position of lying on the side; protects the airway in an unconscious, breathing, non-trauma patient.

Fowler's position

Position of sitting upright at 45–90°, commonly used for patients with chest pain or trouble breathing.

Homeostasis

Keeping a stable internal environment despite outside change.

Axial skeleton

The central core division of the skeleton consisting of the skull, vertebral column, and thorax.

Appendicular skeleton

The skeletal division comprising the arms, legs, pelvis, and shoulder girdle.

Ligament

Fibrous tissue connecting bone to bone.

Tendon

Fibrous tissue connecting muscle to bone.

Cartilage

Smooth tissue that cushions where bones meet at a joint.

Skeletal muscle

Voluntary, striated muscle under conscious control that moves bones.

Smooth muscle

Involuntary, non-striated muscle located in the walls of organs and blood vessels.

Cardiac muscle

Involuntary, striated muscle found only in the heart that possesses automaticity.

Ventilation

The physical movement of air in and out of the lungs.

Oxygenation

The process of loading oxygen onto hemoglobin in the blood.

Respiration

Gas exchange by diffusion (O₂ in, CO₂ out) at the alveolar or cellular level.

Tidal volume

The volume of air moved in one normal breath (approximately $500\,mL$ in adults).

Residual volume

The air that always stays behind in the lungs to keep alveoli open.

Minute volume

The total volume of air moved per minute, calculated as $\text{Minute Volume} = \text{Respiratory Rate} \times \text{Tidal Volume}$.

Dead space

Airway volume containing no alveoli where air never trades gas.

Perfusion

Adequate blood circulation through body tissues to meet cellular needs.

Hypoperfusion (Shock)

Inadequate circulation of blood to tissues leading to cellular hypoxia.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle in which the ventricle contracts and pushes blood out.

Diastole

The phase of the cardiac cycle in which the ventricle relaxes and refills with blood.

Stroke volume

The amount of blood ejected from the heart in one beat.

Cardiac output

The total amount of blood pumped per minute, calculated as $\text{Cardiac Output} = \text{Heart Rate} \times \text{Stroke Volume}$.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The body's primary control center consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

All nerves located outside the central nervous system.

Sympathetic nervous system

The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the fight-or-flight response, accelerating heart rate and blood pressure under stress.

Parasympathetic nervous system

The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for rest-and-digest functions, reducing heart rate and workload.

Epidermis

The outer waterproof barrier layer of the skin.

Dermis

The deeper layer of skin containing nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, and hair roots.

Subcutaneous tissue

The layer of fat below the dermis that insulates the body and stores energy.

Aerobic metabolism

Cellular energy production occurring in the presence of oxygen, producing abundant energy with carbon dioxide and water as waste.

Anaerobic metabolism

Cellular energy production occurring without adequate oxygen, yielding minimal energy and generating lactic acid.