Other Terms of the Respiratory System

It is important to be able to define and spell other terms often used in reference to the anatomy and pathology of the respiratory system.

Acute

A disease or symptom that begins suddenly or worsens quickly

Aspiration

The accidental breathing in of food or fluid into the lungs

Chronic

A disease or symptom persisting for a long time

Edema

An abnormal accumulation of fluid in certain tissues within the body

Effusion

Escape of fluid from blood or lymph vessels into the tissues or body cavity

Exacerbation

An increase in the severity of a disease; worsening

Exhalation

The act of breathing out

Fibrosis

Normal tissue is replaced by hardened tissue

Inhalation

The act of drawing air into the lungs

Interstitial

The spaces around a tissue or an organ

Intubation

Insertion of a plastic tube into the trachea to maintain an open airway

Latent

Describes a condition that is present but not active or causing symptoms

Mucous membrane

Sheetlike tissues that act as a lining with cells that secrete mucus

Nosocomial

Acquired in a hospital, especially in reference to an infection

Phlegm

A type of mucus made in the lower respiratory tract

Respiration

The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide; breathing

Septum

Wall that separates two sides, such as between the nostrils or the chambers of the heart

Serous membrane

Sheetlike tissues that act as a lining with cells that secrete fluid

Sputum

Phlegm that is coughed up and ejected through the mouth

Stoma

The surgically created opening on a body surface following a colostomy or tracheostomy

Visceral

Relating to the soft internal organs of the body, including the lungs, the heart, and the organs of the digestive, urinary, reproductive, and circulatory systems