Needed medical terms

Deconjugate gaze

the eyes moving in opposite directions

Merkle sign

a clinical assessment used to help identify intraperitoneal inflammation, particularly in the context of suspected appendicitis

Cullen sign

a physical exam finding characterized by periumbilical ecchymosis (bruising around the navel)

Turner’s sign

a bluish discoloration of the flanks (the area between the ribs and the top of the hip)

Ascites

abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity

Hyperemesis

excessive vomiting

Emesis

vomit

Intraventricular shunt

a tube surgically placed in a ventricle of the brain that extend to a blood vessel in the neck, heart, or abdomen to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain

Phrenic nerve

controls the diaphragm, the primary muscle for breathing

Vagus nerve

a major cranial nerve that plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate, blood pressure, and other involuntary bodily functions

Cholecystitis

inflammation of the gallbladder

Cystitis

Inflammation of the bladder

Subcutaneous layer

a layer of fatty tissue just below the dermis

Hematemesis

blood in the vomit

Hematochezia

bright red blood in the stool

Melena

dark tarry stools containing decomposing blood normally from the upper gastrointestinal system

Anisocoria

a condition where one pupil is larger than the other

Renal calculi

kidney stones

Kyphosis

abnormal spinal curvature backwards

Lordosis

abnormal spinal curvature forwards

Effacement

shortening, softening, and thinning of the cervix during labor

Incontinence

a treatment technique using electrical impulses to stimulate and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles

Somnolence

a state of drowsiness or excessive sleepiness

Obtunded

a state of reduced consciousness, where a person is less alert and responsive than normal

Meninges

layers of tissue protecting the brain. they include the dura mater, arachnoid layer, and the pia mater

Pia mater

inner layer of protective brain tissue

Dura mater

outer layer of protective brain tissue

Arachnoid layer

middle layer of protective brain tissue

Purulent

pus

Asterixis

a clinical sign of jerky, irregular flapping movements it causes, especially in the hands and wrists that indicates a serious underlying medical condition, often a form of encephalopathy

Homeostasis

the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment, despite external changes

Agonist

a drug that binds to a receptor on a cell and activates it, causing the cell to respond in a specific way

Beta agonist

a medication, specifically a bronchodilator, used to open up the airways and make breathing easier

Sympathomimetic

a drug that mimics the effects of the sympathetic nervous system

Dysmenorrhea

severe pain or cramps during menstruation

Photophobia

sensitivity to light

Oncotic

the osmotic force exerted by large molecules, primarily plasma proteins like albumin, that helps to retain fluid within the blood vessels

Posturing

the abnormal and involuntary positioning of a person's body, particularly the limbs

Agnosia

a person loses the ability to recognize and identify familiar objects, people, or sounds, despite having intact sensory perception and memory

Dysarthria

defective speech caused by impairment of the tongue or other muscles necessary for speech

Aphasia

difficulty in speaking or understanding speech

Aphagia

the inability to swallow

Decorticate posturing

flexion posturing

Decerebrate posturing

extension posturing

Priapism

a persistent erection of the penis resulting from injury to the spinal nerves to the genitals

ROSC

Return of Spontaneous Circulation

POLST

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment

Hydrocephalus

accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain when the normal mechanisms of drainage or reabsorption are absent or impaired

Parental

meds given outside the GI tract

Buccal

pertaining to the cheek

Enteral

pertaining to the intestines

Pruritus

itching

Urticaria

hives

Epistaxis

bleeding from the nose resulting from injury, disease, or environment; a nosebleed

Acetycholine

main neurotransmitter of parasympathetic NS

Necrosis

premature and uncontrolled death of cells and body tissue

Ischemic

where there is a reduced blood flow and oxygen supply to a particular area of the body

Gastritis

inflammation of the stomach

Baroreceptor

stretch-sensitive receptors located in the aortic arch and caratoid bodies that constantly measure the blood pressure

Chemoreceptor

receptors that constantly monitor the arterial content of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and the blood pH and stimulate a change in the respiratory rate and depth

Crepitus

the sound or feel of broken fragments of bone grinding against each other

Depolarization

change of electrical charges in the heart muscle cells from negative to positive, causing heart muscle contraction

Ketoacidosis

a life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when the body doesn't have enough insulin to utilize glucose for energy

Dystonia

a movement disorder that causes involuntary contractions of muscles resulting in twisting and repetitive movements that are sometimes painful

Ecchymosis

black and blue discoloration

Embolus

a blood clot or other matter than travels through the circulatory system to another part of the body

Bolus

chewed up food

Eschar

the hard, tough, leathery, dead soft tissue formed by a full thickness burn

Glottis

the space between the true vocal cords. Also called the glottic opening

Gravida

pregnancy; when followed by a Roman numeral it indicates the number of pregnancies

Hematuria

blood in the urine

Hemoptysis

coughing up blood or blood-stained sputum

Penumbra

the area of brain tissue surrounding an infarct (dead tissue) that is still compromised but not yet irreversibly damaged

Kehr sign

shoulder pain referred from the diagram when it is irritated by blood within the abdominal cavity

Levine sign

a fist clenched over the center of the chest indicating severe chest pain

Macular degeneration

deterioration of the central area of the retina, causing loss of vision in the central visual field

Myxedema

a serious medical emergency caused by severe hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone production)

Nonpurposeful movement

movement of the body or extremities that is not under the voluntary control of the individual

Occlusive

closed or blocked; not patent, as an occluded airway

Orthostatic

measurements taken to assess how a patient's blood pressure and heart rate respond to changes in position

Peritoneal dialysis

introduction of a cleansing fluid through the abdominal wall into the peritoneal cavity to remove waste products from the body; then the fluid is removed from the body and replaced with fresh fluid

Potential space

the space between the parietal pleura that lines the chest wall and the visceral pleura that covers the lungs

Fontanelle

the “soft spot“ in an infant’s head where the bony plates of skull have not yet fused together. The fontanelle enables the head to pass through the birth canal during delivery and to expand during development.

Gastroenteritis

inflammation of the stomach and small intestine

Pulsus paradoxus

a decrease in puse strength during inhalation; a drop in blood pressure of more than 10 mmHg during inhalation resulting from increased pressure within the chest that suppresses the filling of the ventricles of the heart with blood

Menarche

onset of menses

Mittelschmerz

abdominopelvic pain during the middle of a menstrual cycle that is associated with ovulation

Repolarization

the exchange of gases between an organism and its environment; the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide that takes place during inhalation and exhalation

PEA

Pulseless Electrical Activity

Retrograde amnesia

inability to remember circumstances prior to an incident

Anterograde amnesia

inability to remember circumstances after an incident

Thrombin

protein that activates blood clot formation

Thrombosis

process of formation of a blood clot, or thrombus

Decubitus ulcer

a soft tissue injury caused by prolonged pressure on the skin

Vesicant

chemical agents that cause blistering, burning, and tissue damage on contact as well as causing generalized illness if a significant amount I'd absorbed. Vesicants include sulfur and nitrogen mustards, lewisite, and phosgene oxime

Kussmaul

engorgement of the jugular veins during inhalation resulting from increased venous pressure caused by a tension pneumothorax or pericardial tamponade