Health Assessment Across the Life Span - Comprehensive Review

Comprehensive vocabulary review flashcards covering respiratory, cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, lymphatic, abdominal, HEENT, musculoskeletal, and neurological assessments across the lifespan.

Hypercapnic Drive

The primary respiratory stimulus in most healthy individuals, where the brainstem's respiratory center in the medulla detects elevated carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) levels and increases the rate and depth of ventilation.

Tactile Fremitus

A palpable vibration transmitted through the bronchi and lung parenchyma to the chest wall during speech (e.g., saying 'ninety-nine'); decreased by obstruction, pleural effusion, or pneumothorax, and increased by lobar consolidation (pneumonia).

Bronchophony

A vocal resonance test in which the patient repeats 'ninety-nine'; normal transmission is soft, muffled, and indistinct, whereas voice sounds heard clearly and loudly indicate increased lung tissue density or consolidation.

Egophony

An auscultatory test where the patient vocalizes the 'ee-ee-ee' sound; a change from 'ee' to an 'aa' sound over consolidated lung areas is an abnormal finding.

Whispered Pectoriloquy

An auscultatory technique where the patient whispers a phrase like 'one-two-three'; normal transmission is faint or absent, but consolidated lung tissue transmits the whispered sound distinctly and clearly.

Stridor

A high-pitched, predominantly inspiratory, crowing adventitious sound originating in the neck that indicates upper-airway obstruction from inflammation, swelling, or a foreign body.

Cheyne-Stokes Respirations

A regular respiratory cycle characterized by a gradual waxing (increase in rate and depth) and waning (decrease in rate and depth) of breathing followed by a period of apnea; associated with heart failure, meningitis, drug overdose, and increased intracranial pressure.

Biot Respirations

An irregular breathing pattern consisting of clusters of 3 to 4 normal or rapid breaths followed by an irregular period of apnea; seen in trauma, brain abscess, heat stroke, meningitis, and encephalitis.

Axillary Tail of Spence

The cone-shaped upper outer quadrant breast tissue that projects laterally upward into the axilla, which represents the site where the greatest proportion of breast tumors develop.

Peau d'Orange

An edema-induced skin appearance characterized by thickened skin, accentuated follicular pores, and a pigskin or orange-peel texture, resulting from lymphatic obstruction.

Tanner Stage 2 (Female)

The breast budding stage in adolescent female sexual development characterized by the appearance of a small mound of breast tissue and nipple with widening of the areola.

First Heart Sound ($S_1$)

The cardiac sound produced by the closure of the atrioventricular (AV) valves (mitral and tricuspid), signaling the beginning of ventricular systole; loudest at the apex.

Second Heart Sound ($S_2$)

The cardiac sound produced by the closure of the semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonic), signaling the end of ventricular systole and the beginning of diastole; loudest at the base.

Third Heart Sound ($S_3$)

A low-pitched ventricular gallop occurring in early diastole during the rapid ventricular filling phase; can be a normal physiologic finding in children and young adults, but typically reflects heart failure in older adults.

Fourth Heart Sound ($S_4$)

An atrial gallop occurring in late diastole immediately before $S_1$, produced when the atria contract and push blood into a noncompliant, stiff ventricle.

Preload

The degree of ventricular stretch and muscle bundle length at the end of diastole just before contraction; greater diastolic filling yields a stronger contraction via the Frank-Starling mechanism.

Afterload

The opposing resistance the ventricle must overcome during systole to pump blood against systemic or pulmonary pressure.

Jugular Venous Distention (JVD)

The visible pulsation and swelling of the jugular veins when the patient is reclined at $30^\circ-45^\circ$, directly reflecting elevated central venous and right atrial pressure.

Bruit

A blowing, swishing sound auscultated over an artery indicating turbulent blood flow, commonly caused by local vascular stenosis or occlusion.

Intermittent Claudication

Cramping, ischemic pain in the leg (typically the calf) provoked predictably by exertion or walking and relieved promptly by rest; the classic clinical presentation of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

The 6 Ps of Arterial Occlusion

The hallmark signs of acute arterial ischemia: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Poikilothermia (coldness), and Paralysis.

Raynaud Phenomenon

An episodic, tricolor vascular response in extremities triggered by cold exposure, vibration, or emotional stress, presenting sequentially as pallor (white), cyanosis (blue), and rubor (red).

Venous Stasis Ulcer

A lower-extremity ulcer characterized by irregular margins, a shallow, weepy granulating bed, and surrounding brawny hyperpigmentation, typically located at the medial malleolus.

Posterior Tibial Pulse

The peripheral arterial pulse palpated in the groove behind and just below the medial malleolus of the ankle.

Lymphedema

The chronic, progressive accumulation of protein-rich interstitial fluid caused by damaged or blocked lymphatic channels, leading to tissue fibrosis, non-pitting swelling, and restricted mobility.

Cachexia

A profound state of physical wasting, malnutrition, and muscle loss associated with chronic debilitating illnesses such as advanced cancer or organ failure.

Vitiligo

An acquired skin condition characterized by the complete absence of melanin pigment in patchy areas of normal skin, leading to irregular white macules and patches.

Ecchymosis

A purplish, non-blanchable patch caused by extravasation of blood into subcutaneous tissues, larger than a petechia, typically progressing in color as the blood breaks down.

Gyrate Lesion

A skin lesion arrangement that twists, coils, or resembles spiral and snakelike paths across the skin surface.

ABCDEF Danger Signs of Melanoma

A clinical mnemonic for assessing suspicious pigmented lesions: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter ($>6\,\text{mm}$), Elevation or Evolution, and 'Funny looking'.

Urticaria

An intensely pruritic, erythematous eruption composed of confluent wheals caused by histamine release in an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction.

Lichenification

A secondary skin lesion characterized by tightly packed sets of papules causing rough, thickened, leathery skin with exaggerated normal skin markings, resulting from prolonged scratching or rubbing.

Costovertebral Angle (CVA) Tenderness

Sharp pain produced by blunt percussion with the ulnar edge of a closed fist over the 12th rib at the spine, indicative of kidney inflammation or infection (pyelonephritis).

Blumberg Sign

The clinical assessment of rebound tenderness in the abdomen, performed by pushing deeply into an area away from pain and releasing suddenly; a sharp stabbing sensation indicates peritoneal inflammation.

Incisional Hernia

A bulge or protrusion of abdominal contents through an operative scar, most apparent when intra-abdominal pressure increases during sitting, standing, or coughing.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

A focal dilation in the abdominal aorta (typically located below the renal arteries extending to the umbilicus) that presents as a prominent pulsating midline mass accompanied by an audible bruit and diminished femoral pulses.

Anterior and Posterior Fontanels

Membrane-covered spaces between bones of the neonatal skull: the diamond-shaped anterior fontanel closes between 9 and 24 months, and the triangle-shaped posterior fontanel closes by 1 to 2 months.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

A range of physical and developmental anomalies caused by in utero alcohol exposure, presenting with distinct facial features including short palpebral fissures, flat midface, indistinct or smooth philtrum, and a thin upper lip.

Pilar Cyst

A smooth, firm, benign, well-circumscribed, and mobile subcutaneous swelling on the scalp derived from the hair follicle.

Anisocoria

An inequality in pupil size between the eyes that can be a normal physiologic variant in a small percentage of individuals or indicate central nervous system disease.

Presbyopia

The age-related progressive decrease in the eye's ability to accommodate for near vision, caused by loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens.

Chalazion

A chronic, painless, inflammatory granuloma of a meibomian gland presenting as a firm, nontender swelling pointing inside the eyelid.

Tympanic Membrane Cone of Light

A prominent triangular reflection of otoscopic light on the normal translucent, pearly gray tympanic membrane, positioned at approximately 5 o'clock in the right ear and 7 o'clock in the left ear.

Otitis Externa

Infection or inflammation of the external auditory canal ('swimmer's ear'), characterized by severe pain provoked by movement of the pinna or tragus, along with canal erythema, edema, and purulent discharge.

Presbycusis

A gradual, symmetric, sensorineural hearing loss occurring with natural aging, primarily affecting high-frequency tones due to nerve degeneration in the inner ear or cochlea.

Ankyloglossia

A congenital condition ('tongue-tie') in which a short, tight lingual frenulum fixes the tongue tip to the floor of the mouth, limiting mobility and affecting speech or feeding.

Gout

An inflammatory arthritic disorder caused by uric acid crystal deposition in joints, characterized by sudden, excruciating redness, swelling, and heat, most commonly targeting the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

Lumbar Lordosis (in Pregnancy)

A progressive compensatory inward curving of the lumbar spine that shifts the center of gravity backward over the lower extremities to counterbalance an enlarging gravid uterus.

Muscle Strength Scale

A clinical scale graded from 0 to 5: Grade 0 (no visible/palpable contraction), Grade 1 (trace contraction without joint movement), Grade 2 (full ROM with gravity eliminated), Grade 3 (full ROM against gravity without added resistance), Grade 4 (full ROM against gravity with some resistance), and Grade 5 (normal strength against full resistance).

Phalen Test

A diagnostic assessment for carpal tunnel syndrome where the patient holds both wrists in acute flexion at $90^\circ$ against each other for 60 seconds; numbness and burning along the median nerve distribution indicate a positive test.

Tinel Sign

Direct light percussion over the median nerve at the flexor retinaculum of the wrist; a positive result produces tingling or electric shock sensations in the median nerve distribution, indicating nerve irritation or compression.

Romberg Test

A cerebellar and proprioceptive balance assessment in which the patient stands with feet together and arms at the sides, first with eyes open and then closed for 20 seconds; loss of balance with eyes closed signifies sensory ataxia.

Stereognosis

The higher cortical sensory capability to identify a familiar small object (such as a coin or key) placed in the hand solely through tactile manipulation with the eyes closed.

Graphesthesia

The cortical sensory ability to read and recognize a number or letter traced lightly onto the skin of the palm while the patient's eyes remain closed.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

A quantitative neurological assessment tool evaluating three behavioral parameters: Eye Opening (1 to 4), Verbal Response (1 to 5), and Best Motor Response (1 to 6), yielding an overall score ranging from 3 to 15.

FAST Tool

A standardized assessment tool for rapid stroke recognition: F (Face drooping), A (Arm weakness), S (Speech difficulty), and T (Time to call 911 / emergency services).