COMFORT, PAIN, OXYGENATION, SENSORY, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS Exam Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to pain management, oxygenation, cognitive impairments, and sensory alterations as outlined in the lecture notes.

Pain

Subjective experience linked to tissue damage, serves protective purpose.

Nociception

The process by which pain signals are sent to the brain.

Acute Pain

Sudden, short duration pain with an identifiable cause.

Chronic Pain

Pain persisting for more than 6 months, often with no clear cause.

Visceral Pain

Deep, dull pain originating from internal organs.

Phantom Pain

Pain perceived in an amputated limb.

Transduction

First phase of nociception where nociceptors are stimulated.

Transmission

The second phase of nociception where pain signal travels to the brain.

Perception

The third phase of nociception where the brain interprets the pain signal.

Modulation

The final phase of nociception where the body alters the pain perception.

SpO₂

Pulse oximetry measurement of blood oxygen saturation.

Hypoxia

Condition of low oxygen at the tissue level.

Hypoxemia

Condition of low oxygen in arterial blood.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Technique to improve ventilation and reduce shortness of breath.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Progressive disease characterized by airflow limitation.

Delirium

Acute, reversible state of confusion.

Dementia

Progressive, irreversible decline in cognitive function.

Alzheimer's Disease

Most common cause of dementia involving neuronal damage.

Sensory Perception

Ability to receive and interpret sensory input from the environment.

Sensory Deficit

Loss or decrease in normal sensory input.

Sensory Deprivation

Lack or reduction of sensory input leading to alterations.

Cognitive Impairment

Any condition that disrupts normal cognitive functioning.

Cognitive Assessment

Using tools like MMSE to evaluate the cognitive function.

Pain Mnemonics

PQRSTU helps assess pain by evaluating provoke/palliates, quality, region, severity, timing, and understanding.

Non-Opioid Analgesics

Pain relief medications like NSAIDs and acetaminophen.

Opioid Analgesics

Pain relief medications that bind to opioid receptors in the CNS.

Pain

Subjective experience linked to tissue damage, serves protective purpose.

Nociception

The process by which pain signals are sent to the brain.

Acute Pain

Sudden, short duration pain with an identifiable cause.

Chronic Pain

Pain persisting for more than 6 months, often with no clear cause.

Visceral Pain

Deep, dull pain originating from internal organs.

Phantom Pain

Pain perceived in an amputated limb.

Transduction

First phase of nociception where nociceptors are stimulated.

Transmission

The second phase of nociception where pain signal travels to the brain.

Perception

The third phase of nociception where the brain interprets the pain signal.

Modulation

The final phase of nociception where the body alters the pain perception.

Nociceptors

Specialized sensory receptors that detect painful stimuli.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of the brain and spinal cord; responsible for integrating sensory information and coordinating body function.

Opioid Receptors

Protein receptors located primarily in the brain, spinal cord, and digestive tract that bind opioids to modulate pain.

Pain Mnemonics

PQRSTU helps assess pain by evaluating provoke/palliates, quality, region, severity, timing, and understanding.

P (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Provoke/Palliates: What makes the pain worse or better?

Q (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Quality: What does the pain feel like (e.g., sharp, dull, throbbing)?

R (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Region/Radiation: Where is the pain located, and does it spread?

S (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Severity: How bad is the pain on a scale (e.g., 0-10)?

T (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Timing: When did the pain start, and how often does it occur (onset, duration, frequency)?

U (PQRSTU Pain Assessment)

Understanding: What does the patient Understand about their pain (its impact, cause)?

Non-Opioid Analgesics

Pain relief medications like NSAIDs and acetaminophen.

Opioid Analgesics

Pain relief medications that bind to opioid receptors in the CNS.

SpO₂

Pulse oximetry measurement of blood oxygen saturation.

Hypoxia

Condition of low oxygen at the tissue level.

Hypoxemia

Condition of low oxygen in arterial blood.

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Technique to improve ventilation and reduce shortness of breath.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

Gas Exchange

The process of oxygen moving from the alveoli into the blood and carbon dioxide moving from the blood into the alveoli.

Ventilation

The mechanical process of moving air in and out of the lungs.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Progressive disease characterized by airflow limitation.

Delirium

Acute, reversible state of confusion.

Dementia

Progressive, irreversible decline in cognitive function.

Alzheimer's Disease

Most common cause of dementia involving neuronal damage.

Neuronal Damage (Alzheimer's)

Degeneration and loss of brain cells, specifically neurons, contributing to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.

Sensory Perception

Ability to receive and interpret sensory input from the environment.

Sensory Deficit

Loss or decrease in normal sensory input.

Sensory Deprivation

Lack or reduction of sensory input leading to alterations.

Cognitive Impairment

Any condition that disrupts normal cognitive functioning.

Cognitive Assessment

Using tools like MMSE to evaluate the cognitive function.

Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)

A widely used 30-point questionnaire to screen for cognitive impairment, particularly dementia.