Anatomy and Pathophysiology: Terms and Concepts to Know

Cengage eTextbook: Professional Review Guide for CCA Examination 2025 Anatomy and Pathophysiology pg 23 Terms and concepts to know pg 32

-itis

Suffix meaning inflammation or infection

AAA

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

ABN

Advance beneficiary notice

Abscess

A pocket of purulent exudate in a solid tissue

Acute

A short-term illness that occurs rapidly with specific signs and symptoms

Airborne

Carried by or through the air, such as pollen, dust, or microorganisms

AMI

Acute myocardial infarction

Anaplasia

An increase in undifferentiated cells with abnormal structures and growth patterns typically seen in cancers

Anatomical site

References a specific location within the anatomy (body)

Anatomy

The structure of the human body, including organs, bones, muscle, tissue, and blood

Anorexia

Loss of appetite

Antagonistic reaction

The combination of two or more substances that decreases the effect of either of the substances

ante-

Before

Anterior

Toward the front of the body

Anteroposterior (AP)

The image was taken from front to back

Antigen

A microbe or other substance that creates the production of antibodies

Antiseptic

Chemicals that are applied to the body to significantly reduce the number of organisms, particularly on the surface of the skin

Atelectasis

Collapsed lung and is a complication of many primary conditions

Atrophy

The decrease in size or mass of a cell due to lack of nutrients, use, or hormonal or neurological action

Bacilli

Rod-shaped organisms

Bacteremia

Presence of bacteria in the blood, usually a precursor to septicemia

Bactericidal

Drugs or substances that destroy organisms

Bacteriostatic

Drugs or substances that decrease the rate of reproduction of bacteria

Benign (Medical Science)

Nonthreatening, mild, nonmalignant

Bilateral (Medical Science)

Both sides

Bronchiectasis

Irreversible abnormal widening of the medium-sized bronchi caused by recurrent inflammation and infection

Buccal (buc)

Inside the cheek

CABG

Coronary artery bypass graft

Cachexia

Severe weight loss and washing away of the body tissues due to serious illness or condition such as cancer

Carcinogen

A substance that has the ability to change normal cell formation and growth causing cancer

Cardiovascular

Heart, pericardium, arteries, and veins

Carrier

A person who plays host to an infectious disease but who is asymptomatic but can transmit the condition

Caudal

Toward the tail (really means tail)

Cephalad

Toward the head of the body

Chronic

A long-term condition that typically occurs slowly over time and usually causes more permanent damage to body tissues

Coagulation

Process of a liquid transitioning into a sold such as blood forming a clot

Cocci

Spherical-shaped organisms

Congenital (Medical Science)

Occurring or forming in utero

Corona virus

Any of a family of single-stranded RNA viruses that infect mammals and birds, causing respiratory infections, such as the common cold, SARS, and COVID-19 in humans, and that have spikes of glycoproteins projecting from the viral envelop

Cortical

The outer region

COVID-19

Corona virus disease 2019

CPAP

Continuous positive airway pump: a machine that provides humidified room air at a pressure that maintains an open airway, typically used for sleep apnea disorders

crani

Skull

Culture and sensitivity test

The process of taking a sample or specimen (such as sputum, urine, or mucosal scraping), from an affected individual to grow and identify an organism causing a particular condition in a petri dish in a controlled environment, then determining which antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal medications will destroy the organism

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident

Cytology

The study of the shape, size, and growth of cells

Deep

Toward the inside the body

Dehydration

A decrease in body fluids from either lack of ingesting proper amounts or liquids or excessive loss of fluids

dermis

Skin

Diagnosis

The illness or condition of an individual established after a complete review of signs and symptoms, tests and/or procedures, or the use of various tools and equipment

Differentiation

The cells' ability to specialize and grow into specific functioning tissues

Digestive

Mouth, palate, uvula, pharynx, adenoids, tonsils, esophagus, stomach, intestines, appendix, rectum, anus, liver, pancreas, biliary tract, abdomen, peritoneum, and omentum

Disinfectant

A substance that may hinder the growth or destroy a variety of microbes

Distal

Away from the torso

Dorsal

Toward (or along) the back (spine) of the body

Dorsal recumbent

The patient is lying on his or her back, knees bent, feet flat on the table

Dyspnea

Difficulty breathing

ECG (or EKG)

Electrocardiogram

-ectomy

Surgically cut out

ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a method of life support used to oxygenate the blood in individuals with lung failure, using a machine or artificial lung outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest

Edema

Swelling of tissues due to the buildup of excess fluid in and around cells

Embolus

A piece of a clot or thrombus that has broken off and travels through the body that may lodge in another organ and cause blockage

Endemic

A condition that consistently occurs in a population within a specified area

endo-

Inside

Endocrine

Pituitary gland, hypothalamus, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, and thymus

EOB

Explanation of benefits

epi-

On/upon

Epidemic

A significantly higher than normal rate of an occurrence of a disease or condition within a population, usually within a specified geographic location such as city, state, or country

Epidemiology

The study of diseases, their determinants, and their distribution within a specified population to establish patterns and trends of occurrence

Erythema

Redness of the skin or tissues in the inflammatory response

ESRD

End-stage renal disease

Etiology

Study of the causes and predisposing factors of diseases, illnesses, and conditions

Exudate

Additional interstitial fluid that has collected in an area in the inflammatory response

Fomite

Inanimate objects, such as needles or eating utensils, that indirectly transmit diseases

Front and back

The frontal plane invisibly divides the body in half: front and back

Fulminant

Severe, acute, and uncontrolled progression of a disease or condition

Gangrene

Dead or necrotic tissue that has become infected

gastro

Stomach

Genital

Penis, testes, epididymis, tunica vaginalis, scrotum, vas deferens, spermatic cord, seminal vesicles, and the prostate in the male; vulva, perineum, introitus, vagina, cervix uteri, corpus uteri, ovaries, and fallopian tubes in the female

H&P

History and physical

HEENT

Head, ears, eyes, nose, throat

Helminth

Worms that are parasites that cause a variety of diseases around the world

Hematologic

Blood itself and the blood-forming organs

Herd immunity

When a substantial percentage of a population is immune to a disease (either through vaccination or previous exposure), thereby decreasing the spread of the disease and increasing the protection of vulnerable individuals

hidro

Sweat glands

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal metabolic and functional environment regardless of outside stimuli or environment

Hyperplasia

The increase in the number of cells resulting in a mass of increased tissue

Hypertrophy

The increase in the size or mass of a cell due to an increase in work or usage, hormones, or nutrients

Hypovolemia

A decrease in blood volume in the body

Hypoxia

A significant decrease in oxygen in the tissues

Iatrogenic

The cause of the disease or condition is the actual medical treatment or procedure, which includes errors in decision making, skills, or processes used to treat an individual

Idiopathic

Cause of the disease or condition is unknown

Immunity

The ability of an individual, animal, or organism to resist disease either through exposure, immunization, passage of antibodies from mother to baby, or injection of antiserum

Immunodeficient

The reduced capacity of the body's immune system to fight off infections

In situ

Cellular reproduction and growth that remains in the originating tissue, not spreading

Incidence

The statistical calculation of the rate of new cases of an illness or condition within a specified population

Incubation period

The established timeframe from when an organism first comes in contact with an individual shows clinical symptoms of infection

Infarction

Death of a tissue due to lack of oxygen

Infection

State of being contaminated with any variety of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, or other microbes

Infection control

The processes and equipment used to decrease the risk of spreading microorganisms that can cause infections, particularly in health care facilities