PBS Unit 2

medical student

person who studies to be a doctor

medical assistant

helps physicians examine and treat patients and performs tasks to keep offices running smoothly

nurse

licensed health care professional who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health

medical technician

Uses sophisticated equipment and has different responsibilities. Some work directly with patients (a phlebotomist draws blood) while others work in a lab (a histotechnician analyzes tissue)

patient liason

works with patients and their families to address needs and concerns. Acts as an intermediary between patients, thier families and the hospital admin.

non physician practitioners

clinical professionals who practice in many of the areas similar to those in which physicians practice, but do not have an MD or DO degree

primary care physician

a regular doctor who provides checkups, screenings, treatments, and prescriptions

pediatrician

physician specializing in the treatment of babies and children

medical history

a record of past health problems and illnesses

chief complaint

the main reason for the patient's visit

physical signs

Pieces of evidence that indicate an illness that can be observed externally, such as a rash, coughing, or elevated temperature.

symptoms

Any subjective evidence of disease a patient perceives, such as aches, nausea, or fatigue. Symptoms allow the health care provider to narrow down the possible conditions that may be affecting the patient and then run tests to make a diagnosis.

diagnosis

The process of determining which disease or condition explains a person's symptoms and signs.

demeanor

outward behavior or bearing

Tact

Discretion and sensitivity in dealing with others.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

vital signs

Measurements—specifically pulse rate, temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure—that indicate the state of a patient's essential body functions.

homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal physiological conditions (like body temperature or the pH of blood), which enables the optimal functioning of an organism.

pulse

The rhythmic expansion and recoil of arteries resulting from heart contraction.

respiratory rate

The number of breaths an organism takes per minute.

blood pressure

The pressure that blood exerts upon the walls of blood vessels, especially arteries, usually measured with a sphygmomanometer and expressed in millimeters of mercury.

triage

The sorting and prioritization of patients based on the urgency of their need for care.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

a measure of body weight relative to height

oxygen saturation

a clinical measurement of the percentage of hemoglobin that is bound with oxygen in the blood

Palpatate

touching

ophthalmoscope

instrument used to examine the interior of the eye

otoscope

instrument used for visual examination of the ear

tonsils

masses of lymphatic tissue in the back of the oropharynx

lymph

watery fluid

cancer

a disease caused when cells divide uncontrollably and spread into surrounding tissue.

Dermatologist

medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions

stethoscope

a medical instrument for listening to the sounds generated inside the body

clear breath sounds

A clear woosh of air with each inhalation and exhalation

Wheezing

High pitched sound heard in the lungs

Crackles (rales)

Short and intermittent clicking, rattling, or popping sounds heard during inhalation when air is forced through an airway narrowed by fluid

stridor

Harsh, shrill sound, similar to wheezing, usually heard closest to the back of the neck, as it is caused by a partially obstructed windpipe.

Rhonchi

A snore-like sound heard when airways are partially obstructed.

erythrocyte

Hemoglobin-rich, red blood cells that transport oxygen through a body. Erythrocytes give the red color to vertebrate blood and do not have nuclei.

leukocyte

One of the many cells in the blood that lack hemoglobin but have a nucleus and are active in the immune response. Lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are leucocytes.

thrombocyte

A minute, colorless, anucleate disk-like body of mammalian blood that assists in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and damaged epithelium.

blood plasma

The pale yellow, liquid portion of blood that consists of water and dissolved substances, including sugars, lipids, metabolic waste products, amino acids, hormones, and vitamins.

phlebotomy

incision of a vein

median cubital vein

the first choice for venipuncture

Phlebotomist

specialist in drawing blood

Hemogobin (HB/Hgb)

The oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

Hematocrit (HCT)

The proportion of red blood cells to plasma, the fluid component, in blood.

Cholesterol

A lipid that is an essential component of animal cell membranes and acts as a precursor molecule for the synthesis of other biologically important steroids.

risk factor

A behavioral, environmental, genetic, psychological, or demographic attribute that increases risk or susceptibility.

LDL

Type of lipoprotein responsible for transporting cholesterol to the cells.

HDL

Type of lipoprotein responsible for removing excess cholesterol from the blood stream and transporting it to the liver.

Metabolism

The chemical reaction processes of breaking down molecules for energy and of using simple building blocks to build up more complex molecules needed for growth and repair.

hormone

A signaling molecule produced by glands. A hormone induces a specific effect on the activity of cells.

basal metabolic panel

blood test that moniters glucose, electrolytes, and blood urea nitrogen

Biomarkers

signals in the blood that may indicate risk for disease or the presence of disease or injury

referral

Transfer of patient care from one physician to another.

Telehealth

Use of technology to deliver health-related services and information, including telemedicine

Type 1 diabetes

A form of diabetes that usually develops during childhood or adolescence. Type 1 is characterized by a severe deficiency of insulin, leading to high blood glucose levels.

Biomolecule/Macromolecule

A large organic molecule found in living organisms; examples are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

chemical reaction

the process by which one or more substances change to produce one or more different substances

cellular respiration

the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

Carbohydrates

A compound, such as sugar, starch and cellulose, found in foods and living tissues that can be broken down and used for energy.

metabolism

The chemical reaction processes of breaking down molecules for energy and of using simple building blocks to build up more complex molecules needed for growth and repair.

Lipids

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Protein

An organic compound that is made of one or more chains of amino acids and that is a principal component of all cells

nucleic acids

macromolecules containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus

insulin

A protein hormone secreted by the pancreas; essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of glucose levels in the blood.

type 2 diabetes

A form of diabetes that develops especially in adults, most often obese individuals. Type 2 is characterized by high blood glucose resulting from impaired insulin use coupled with the body's inability to compensate with increased insulin production.

Pancreas

An organs in the abdominal cavity with two roles. The first is an exocrine role: to produce digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, which are delivered to the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. The second is an endocrine role: to secrete insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream to help regulate blood glucose levels.

negative feedback

Causes the system to stop doing the original action and to either take no action or to perform an opposite action.

positive feeback

Causes a reinforcement of the original action. The input causes the reaction to increase

glucagon

A hormone secreted by pancreatic endocrine cells that raises blood glucose levels; an antagonistic hormone to insulin.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

A set of U.S. national standards that protect an individual's privacy rights related to their personal medical information.

Chronic conditions

characterized by a slow progression of seriousness over a duration of time longer than three months, but they could persist over the rest of a person's life.

Acute conditions

sudden onset and a short duration

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A medical imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to take pictures of the soft tissues of the body.

differential diagnosis

a list of potential diagnoses compiled early in the assessment of the patient

eukaryote

Organisms that have membrane-bound organelles.

somatic cell

Any cell in the human body that is not a sex cell (egg or sperm).

mitosis

A process that takes place in the nucleus of a dividing cell. Mitosis involves the doubling and separation of genetic material and results in the formation of two new nuclei, which each have the same number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.

DNA

A type of nucleic acid consisting of nucleotide monomers with a ribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). DNA is double-stranded and helical and functions in protein synthesis and as the genome of some viruses.

chromosome

Tightly coiled DNA that is found in the nuclei of cells.

homologous

Chromosome pairs, one from each parent, having similar gene composition, size, and structure.

chromatid

One half of a chromosome.

centromere

The centralized region joining two sister chromatids.

tumor

A lump or mass of cells caused by uncontrolled cell division; categorized as benign or malignant.

benign

A tumor that is not cancerous; benign tumors are generally considered harmless.

malignant

A cancerous tumor which will grow and spread to invade other tissues or parts of the body.

metastasis

The spread of cancer cells beyond their original site

biopsy

the removal of living tissue from the body for diagnostic examination

pathologist

specialist in the study of disease

Cytopathologist

examines cells under a microscope to look for signs of cancer

gene

A sequence of nucleotides that codes for a protein, resulting in a specific phenotype.

mutation

A rare change in genetic material, which ultimately creates genetic diversity within a species.

protein synthesis

The creation of a protein from a DNA template.

nucleotide

A building block of DNA that consists of a five-carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.

RNA

A type of nucleic acid consisting of nucleotide monomers with a ribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U). RNA is usually single stranded and functions in protein synthesis and as the genome of some viruses.

Messenger RNA (mRNA)

A type of RNA that is transcribed from DNA and translated by ribosomes in the cytoplasm to produce proteins.

Transcription

The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The synthesis of protein using the genetic information encoded in mRNA.