Practical Physical Examination Manual - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering basic physical examination techniques, respiratory findings, cardiovascular auscultation foci, and abdominal maneuvers based on the Propedéutica Médica practical manual.

Inspection (Physical Exam Technique)

The visual observation of patient data such as symmetry, color, shape, movement, attitude, and gait, beginning from the initial contact.

Palpation (Physical Exam Technique)

The technique of evaluating temperature, texture, consistency, size, mobility, sensitivity, and pulses using warm hands and progressive pressure to compare bilaterally.

Percussion (Physical Exam Technique)

The practice of using brief, perpendicular strikes from the wrist to elicit sonority related to air, liquid, or solid tissue for approximate anatomical delimitation.

Auscultation (Physical Exam Technique)

The systematic listening to cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive acoustic phenomena using a stethoscope directly on the skin in a quiet environment.

Abdominal Examination Order

The mandatory sequence of physical exam techniques for the abdomen: Inspection → Auscultation → Percussion → Palpation (I → A → P → P).

Pulmonary Resonance

The expected percussion sound heard over aerated lung tissue.

Pulmonary Dullness

A percussion sound indicating higher tissue density, such as lung consolidation or liquid.

Pulmonary Hyperresonance

A percussion sound suggesting an increased volume of air within the chest cavity.

Vesicular Murmur

A soft, low-pitched normal breath sound heard over peripheral lung fields, with predominant inspiration.

Bronchial / Laryngotracheal Breath Sound

An intense, high-pitched breath sound that is physiological over the trachea and pathological when heard in peripheral lung areas.

Wheezes

Musical, generally continuous adventitious breath sounds.

Rhonchi

Continuous, lower-pitched adventitious breath sounds.

Crackles

Discontinuous, brief adventitious breath sounds.

Stridor

An intense noise originating from the upper airway that requires clinical correlation.

Pleural Rub

A rough adventitious breath sound resulting from pleural movement.

Bronchophony

An increased transmission of the patient's vocal sounds heard during chest auscultation.

Pectoriloquy

An abnormal condition where spoken words are transmitted through the lungs and heard with unusual clarity during auscultation.

Egophony

A characteristic change in the nasal or bleating quality of the voice detected during chest auscultation.

Aortic Focus

The cardiac auscultation site located at the 2nd right intercostal space at the sternal border.

Pulmonary Focus

The cardiac auscultation site located at the 2nd left intercostal space at the sternal border.

Erb's Focus

The cardiac auscultation site located at the 3rd left intercostal space.

Tricuspid Focus

The cardiac auscultation site located at the left lower sternal border.

Mitral / Apical Focus

The cardiac auscultation site located in the apical region, usually at the 5th left intercostal space near the midclavicular line.

Stethoscope Diaphragm

The chestpiece component that favors high-frequency sounds, useful for evaluating S1, S2, and many heart murmurs.

Stethoscope Bell

The chestpiece component that, when applied with light pressure, favors low-frequency cardiac sounds.

Murphy's Sign

A maneuver seeking pain and inspiratory arrest during gallbladder region palpation in a compatible clinical context.

Shifting Dullness

A percussion maneuver where abdominal dullness changes with patient repositioning, pointing to free fluid.

McBurney's Point

An abdominal site evaluated for rebound tenderness and signs of peritoneal irritation in a clinical setting.