PLTW PBS: 2.1: Talk to your Doc

medical history

a record of past and current health- includes, habits, lifestyle and family history.

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

Subjective characteristics of disease felt only by the patient

tact

a keen sense for what is appropriate or tasteful in delicate situations

empathy

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

Current History

Patient's chief complaint and any other current health issues, symptoms, and any treatments or tests the patient has recently had or is scheduled to have related to these conditions. Nutrition, allergies, medication, and health habits, such as exercise are also part of the patient's current history.

previous history

Includes information about any past health issues, procedures, medications, vaccinations, and previous hospital stays.

Social History

a record of habits like smoking, drinking, drug abuse, and lifestyle practices that can impact health

family history

any significant illnesses that run in the patient's family

Homeostasis

A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level

Triage

the medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment

BMI calculation

Weight(kg)/height(squared) OR

Weight(lbs)/height(squared)x703

first number of vision

distance in feet you stand away from the chart

second number of vision

distance in feet a person with normal vision could read the line you read

Hematocrit (Hct)

percentage of erythrocytes in a volume of blood

LDL cholesterol

A lipoprotein, consisting of protein and cholesterol, that picks up cholesterol and delivers it to the cells. (or deposits it on artery walls if you have too much)

HDL cholesterol

A lipoprotein, consisting of protein and cholesterol, that removes excess cholesterol from the cells and delivers it to liver

saturated fats

A fat that is solid at room temperature and found in animal fats, lards, and dairy products.

unsaturated fats

A fat that is liquid at room temperature and found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

Base Metabolic Panel

tests for glucose, electrolytes, BUN, and creatine which indicate for health of metabolic functions and processes

BUN and creatinine

blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, increased could indicate abnormal kidney function

type 1 diabetes mellitus

diabetes caused by a total lack of insulin production; usually develops in childhood, and patients require insulin replacement therapy to control the disorder

type 2 diabetes

progressive disorder in which body cells become less responsive to insulin (cell receptors damaged)

negative feedback loop

A feedback loop that causes a system to change in the opposite direction from which it is moving

positive feedback loop

a feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified (continues in same direction)

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a federal law protecting the privacy of patient-specific health care information and providing the patient with control over how this information is used and distributed.