Bedside Assessment of the Patient — Vocabulary Flashcards (Video)

A comprehensive set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering terms related to bedside assessment, interviewing, signs and symptoms, physical and respiratory examination, and common cardiopulmonary concepts from the lecture notes.

Sign

Objective manifestation of illness observable by the clinician.

Symptom

Subjective sensation or experience reported by the patient.

Signs vs Symptoms

Signs are objective findings; symptoms are subjective experiences.

Bedside assessment

Interviewing and examination to identify signs and symptoms and evaluate treatment effects.

Social space

Interview space about 4–12 feet from the patient.

Personal space

Interview space about 2–4 feet from the patient.

Neutral questions

Five nonleading questions used to elicit information about a patient’s symptoms.

Dyspnea

Sensation of breathing discomfort (subjective).

Breathlessness

Sensation of an unpleasant urge to breathe.

Orthopnea

Dyspnea triggered by lying flat; common in CHF and valve disease.

Platypnea

Dyspnea worsened in upright position (less common).

Orthodeoxia

Desaturation on assuming an upright position.

Trepopnea

Dyspnea relieved by lying on one side.

Pulsus paradoxus

10 mmHg drop in systolic BP during inspiration; seen in obstructive conditions like asthma.

Pulsus alternans

Alternating strong and weak pulses; indicates left-sided heart failure.

Tachycardia

Heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute.

Bradycardia

Heart rate less than 60 beats per minute.

Hypertension

Persistently elevated blood pressure (commonly >140/90 mm Hg).

Hypotension

Low blood pressure (SBP <90 mm Hg or MAP <65 mm Hg).

Shock

Inadequate delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs relative to demand.

Fever

Elevation of body temperature above normal (fever threshold ~38.3°C/101°F).

Pitting edema

Swelling with indentations left on skin after pressure.

Weeping edema

Edema with small fluid leaks at the site of pressure.

Pack-years

Smoking history calculated as packs per day × years smoked.

Physical examination

Four steps: inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation.

Sensorium

Level of consciousness and orientation to time, place, person, and situation.

Orientation (time, place, person, situation)

Awareness of time, place, person, and situation.

Precordium

Chest wall over the heart.

Heave

Abnormal pulsation felt over the precordium.

Murmur

Abnormal heart sound due to turbulent blood flow through a valve.

S1

Closure of the atrioventricular valves.

S2

Closure of the semilunar valves.

S3

Early diastolic gallop from rapid filling of a stiff ventricle.

S4

Late diastolic gallop from atrial contraction against a noncompliant ventricle.

Gallop rhythm

Presence of S3 and/or S4 sounds indicating abnormal ventricular filling.

Barrel chest

Increased AP diameter of the chest; commonly seen in emphysema.

Pectus carinatum

Protruding sternum.

Pectus excavatum

Depressed sternum that may restrict lung expansion.

Kyphosis

Excessive posterior curvature of the spine.

Scoliosis

Lateral curvature of the spine.

Kyphoscoliosis

Combination of kyphosis and scoliosis with possible restrictive defect.

Chest expansion

Symmetric expansion of the chest; reduced expansion bilaterally or unilaterally suggests disease.

Tracheal breath sounds

Breath sounds heard over the trachea; loud with a prominent expiratory component.

Bronchovesicular breath sounds

Breath sounds heard around the sternum; intermediate intensity and pitch.

Vesicular breath sounds

Normal breath sounds over lung parenchyma; soft and low pitched.

Adventitious sounds

Abnormal lung sounds including crackles, wheezes, stridor, and pleural rub.

Crackles

Intermittent, discontinuous sounds; can be fine or coarse.

Fine crackles

High-pitched crackles heard on inspiration; seen with fibrosis or edema.

Coarse crackles

Louder, lower-pitched crackles; often with secretions.

Wheezes

Continuous whistling sounds indicating airway obstruction; mono- or polyphonic.

Stridor

Harsh high-pitched sound indicating upper airway obstruction.

Pleural friction rub

Grating sound from inflamed pleural surfaces.

Diminished breath sounds

Weakened breath sounds due to shallow breathing or impaired transmission.

Fremitus

Vibrations felt or heard with speech; increased with consolidation, decreased with air or effusion.

Tactile fremitus

Vibration felt on the chest wall during palpation.

Vocal fremitus

Vibrations transmitted through chest during speech.

Crepitus

Subcutaneous air causing crackling sensation under the skin.

Massive hemoptysis

More than 300 mL of blood expectorated in 24 hours.

Nonmassive hemoptysis

Blood in sputum from infection, trauma, TB, or pulmonary embolism.

Sputum

Mucus from lower airways expectorated through the mouth.

Phlegm

Mucus from the tracheobronchial tree not contaminated by oral secretions.

Purulent sputum

Sputum containing pus cells.

Fetid sputum

Foul-smelling sputum.

Central cyanosis

Bluish discoloration of mucous membranes indicating hypoxemia.

Nasal flaring

Nostril dilation seen in respiratory distress.

Pursed-lip breathing

Breathing through pursed lips to prevent airway collapse (common in COPD).

Jugular venous distention (JVD)

Distended neck veins seen with heart failure and cor pulmonale.

Hepatomegaly

Enlarged liver; associated with right-sided heart failure.

Abdominal compartment syndrome

Intraabdominal pressure >20 mm Hg causing organ dysfunction.

AP diameter

Anteroposterior chest diameter; increased in barrel chest.

Respiratory rate (RR)

Number of breaths per minute; normal resting 12–18.

Tachypnea

Rapid breathing; RR greater than 20.

Bradypnea

Slow breathing; RR less than 10.

Pulse pressure

Difference between systolic and diastolic BP; normal ~30–40 mm Hg.

Consolidation

Lung tissue filled with liquid or pus, reducing air content (e.g., pneumonia).

Pneumothorax

Air in the pleural space causing lung collapse; usually hyperresonant to percussion.

Pleural effusion

Fluid in the pleural space reducing expansion and muffling sounds.

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

CHF

Congestive heart failure; heart’s inability to pump effectively leading to edema and dyspnea.

Auscultation

Listening to sounds with a stethoscope to assess breath and heart sounds.

Normal breath sounds

Vesicular breath sounds heard over healthy lung tissue.

AP diameter

See term 36.

PMI

Point of maximal impulse; strongest heartbeat location, influenced by cardiac/pulmonary disease.

Vital signs

Key physiological measurements: temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure.

Hyperthermia

Elevated body temperature (fever).

Hypothermia

Low body temperature.

Capillary refill

Time for color to return after pressure; indicator of peripheral perfusion.

Advanced directive

Document outlining patient’s wishes for medical care if unable to communicate.

ROS (Review of Systems)

Systematic inquiry about symptoms affecting various body systems.

PMH (Past Medical History)

Previously diagnosed medical conditions and illnesses.

Smoking history (pack-years)

Quantifies past smoking exposure.