NR304 Exam 1 Comprehensive Vocabulary Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Peripheral Vascular, Gastrointestinal, and Neurological systems based on the NR304 Exam 1 study guide.

Arteries

Vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart.

Veins

Vessels that return blood to the heart using one-way valves.

Capillaries

The site where oxygen exchange happens between blood and tissues.

Pitting Edema Scale

A scale used to grade swelling from $1+$ (mild, barely a dent) to $4+$ (very deep, long-lasting).

Capillary Refill

An assessment of perfusion that should normally be under $2-3$ seconds.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

A condition characterized by cool skin, pallor on elevation, weak pulses, and claudication.

Peripheral Venous Disease (PVD)

A condition characterized by warm skin, brown pigmentation near ankles, achy pain relieved by elevation, and dependent edema.

6 P's of Acute Arterial Ischemia

The clinical indicators of sudden arterial blockage: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis, and Poikilothermia.

Wells Score

A clinical tool where a score of $\le 0$ is low, $1-2$ is moderate, and $\ge 3$ indicates a high probability of DVT.

Ischemia

Reduced blood flow to tissue.

Intermittent Claudication

Exertional leg pain relieved by rest, which is a hallmark of arterial insufficiency.

Poikilothermia

Skin temperature that changes with the environment, often cool due to poor blood flow.

Pallor

A pale appearance resulting from a lack of blood flow.

Rubor

A dusky red skin color that occurs when a dependent limb refills with blood.

Cyanosis

A bluish skin color resulting from decreased perfusion or oxygenation.

Paresthesia

A sensation of numbness or tingling.

Bruit

A whooshing sound heard over a vessel indicating turbulent blood flow.

Atherosclerosis

The build-up of plaque narrowing an artery, representing the most common cause of PAD.

Virchow’s triad

The three factors contributing to clot formation: venous stasis, endothelial damage, and hypercoagulability.

Thrill

A palpable vibration felt over a vessel caused by turbulent blood flow.

RUQ Structures

The Liver, gallbladder, duodenum, head of pancreas, right kidney, and hepatic flexure of colon.

LUQ Structures

The Stomach, spleen, left lobe of liver, body of pancreas, left kidney, and splenic flexure of colon.

RLQ Structures

The Cecum, appendix, right ovary/tube, and right ureter.

LLQ Structures

The Sigmoid colon, descending colon, left ovary/tube, and left ureter.

Normoactive Bowel Sounds

Gurgling sounds heard at a frequency of $5-30$ sounds per minute.

Blumberg's sign

Also known as rebound tenderness; pain upon the release of pressure indicating peritoneal irritation.

McBurney's point

A specific abdominal location where tenderness is a classic finding for appendicitis.

Murphy's sign

Pain on palpation under the right ribs during inhalation, classic for cholecystitis.

Borborygmi

Loud, hyperactive bowel sounds or growling.

Tympany

A normal drum-like percussion sound heard over air-filled bowel.

Scaphoid

A sunken-in abdominal contour.

Protuberant

A bulging-out abdominal contour.

Caput medusae

Distended veins radiating from the umbilicus, often a sign of liver disease.

CVA tenderness

Pain at the costovertebral angle which may indicate kidney involvement.

Hematemesis

The act of vomiting blood.

Melena

Black, tarry stool indicating upper GI bleeding.

Steatorrhea

Pale, greasy stool resulting from poor fat malabsorption.

Ileus

A lack of normal bowel motility, frequently occurring after surgery.

Toxic Megacolon

A medical emergency in Ulcerative Colitis characterized by distension, fever, tachycardia, and decreased bowel sounds.

Anterolateral tract

The neural pathway responsible for sense of pain, temperature, and crude/light touch.

Posterior (dorsal) columns

The neural pathway responsible for position sense, vibration, and fine/localized touch.

Romberg test

A balance test where the client stands with eyes closed for $20$ seconds; losing balance is considered positive.

Stereognosis

The ability to identify an object by touch without sight.

Graphesthesia

The ability to 'read' a number by having it traced on the skin.

DTR Grading: 2+

The classification for a normal Deep Tendon Reflex.

DTR Grading: 4+

A very brisk, hyperactive reflex with clonus, considered abnormal.

Aphasia

The loss of the ability to express or understand language.

Ataxia

The inability to perform coordinated movements.

Decorticate rigidity

A posture where arms are flexed inward and legs are extended, suggesting a cerebral cortex lesion.

Decerebrate rigidity

A posture where arms and legs are stiffly extended and teeth are clenched, suggesting a more serious brainstem lesion.

Babinski sign

Dorsiflexion of the great toe with fanning of others; normal in infants under $24$ months but abnormal in adults.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

A standardized $3-15$ point scale measuring eye, verbal, and motor responses to assess level of consciousness.

BE FAST

A stroke recognition mnemonic: Balance loss, Eye changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.