HOSA Medical Terminology

Bruit

The unusual sound that blood makes when it rushes past an obstruction (called turbulent flow) in an artery. Heard when auscultated with a stethoscope.

Abrasion

A wound caused by superficial damage to the skin

Acute

A disease with a rapid onset and/or a short course

Anterior

Located towards the front of the body

Benign

Normal, of no danger to health.

Bradycardia

Slow heart-rate (less than 60 bpm).

Cardiomegaly

Enlarged heart. (Seen on chest X-rays)

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder. (Seen on CT scans of abdomen)

Chronic

Long-standing, constant.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

A group of lung diseases that block airflow and make breathing difficult; commonly seen in smokers.

Coronary artery

The artery that supplies heart tissue with blood.

Cerebrovascular Accident

Stroke; The sudden death of some brain cells due to lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is impaired by blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain

Diaphoresis

Profuse sweating caused by the body's response to stress

Distal

Away from the trunk of the body.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

A blood clot in a deep vein, most often an extremity.

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath.

Dysuria

Painful urination, often described as burning with urination.

Ecchymosis

A bruise. A subcutaneous collection of blood.

Edema

Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body's tissues; Quantified as 1+, 2+,3+ during a physicians physical exam

Emesis

Vomiting.

Epistaxis

Nose bleed.

Erythema

Redness of the skin or mucous membranes

Grossly

Coarse or large; visible to the naked eye.

Hematemesis

Vomiting of blood.

Hematuria

Presence of blood in the urine.

Hemoptysis

Coughing up blood.

Hemorrhage

Excess of profuse bleeding.

Hepatomegaly

Enlarged liver. (Seen on CT abdomen)

Hypertension

High blood pressure.

Hypotension

Low blood pressure; a blood pressure reading of 90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or less systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) or 60 mm Hg or less diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) is generally considered low blood pressure.

Hypoxia

Low oxygen saturation of the body; not enough oxygen in the blood.

Infarct

Area of dead tissue after a lack of blood supply.

Inferior

Lower of the body, farther from the head.

Ischemia

A restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing a shortage of oxygen and glucose needed to keep tissue alive.

Laceration

A deep cut or tear in skin or flesh.

Lateral

Away from the midline

Medial

Situated in or pertaining to the middle. Your belly bottom is medial in comparison to your arms.

Myocardial Infarction

Heart attack; Death of cardiac muscle due to ischemia.

Myalgia

Muscular pain, generalized.

Oriented x4

Oriented to person, place, time and situation.

Pallor

Pale skin - in appearance.

Pulmonary Embolism

Blocking of a pulmonary artery due to a blood clot.

Posterior/Dorsal

Rear or backside of the body.

Proximal

Next to or nearest the point of attachment or origin

Purulent

Pus-like discharge

Rales

Crackles; wet crackling noise in lungs, heard during lung exam.

Rhinorrhea

Clear nasal discharge,runny nose

Rhonchi

Rattling noise of mucous in the lungs. Heard on auscultation of lungs.

Superior

Situated above or directed upward.. Your nose is superior to your month.

Syncope

Passing out, loss of consciousness or fainting.

Tachycardia

Fast heart rate (greater than 100bpm).

Transient Ischemic Attack

When blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a brief period of time. A person will have stroke-like symptoms for up to 24 hours, but in most cases for 1 - 2 hours.

Vertigo

Room spinning; A subtype of dizziness in which a patient inappropriately experiences the perception of motion (usually a spinning motion) due to dysfunction of the vestibular system

Wheezing

High pitched sound heard during lung exam - auscultation. It occurs when air moves through narrowed breathing tubes.

Urinalysis

A lab test of a patients urine to reveal any diseases/infections. Tests for: Color, pH, Clarity, Odor, specific gravity, proteins, glucose, nitrites, ketones, ...etc.

Hematoma

A localized swelling filled with blood

Coronary Artery Disease

A narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart

Prone

a body position - lying on stomach.

Hematochezia

The passage of fresh blood through the anus, usually in or with stools

Perfusion

is the process of a body delivering blood to a capillary bed in its biological tissue.

Malaise

A vague feeling of bodily discomfort, as at the beginning of an illness.

Cyanosis

A bluish or purplish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to insufficient oxygen in the blood

Photophobia

Abnormal sensitivity to light, common during migraines

Mucoid

Resembling mucus.

Dysphagia

Difficulty in Swallowing

Otitis Media

Middle ear infection.

Cerumen

Earwax

Tympanic Membrane

Eardrum

Lymphadenopathy

Disease/enlargement of the lymph nodes

Thyromegaly

Enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Normocephalic

Normal head.

Bibasilar

Both lungs

Pneumonia

an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. It is usually caused by infection with viruses or bacteria causing symptoms of cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing.

Systolic ejection murmur

Heart murmurs heard during systole; normally described as a fraction, example - 1/6 SEM

Abdominal guarding

On exam when a physician palpates the abdomen, the patient tenses their abdominal well muscles to guard inflamed organs within the abdomen

Organomegaly

Abnormal enlargement of the organs

Splenomegaly

Abnormal enlargement of the spleen

Polyuria

Excessive or abnormally large production or passage of urine

Crepitus

A crackling sound most often used to refer to bones rubbing against one another.

Hyperlipidemia

High cholesterol, presence of excess lipids in the blood

Differential Diagnosis

a list of possible diagnoses to explain a set of symptoms (listed under medical decision making in a chart)

Disposition

The plan for continuing health care of a patient following discharge

Lethargic

Slow, lazy, tired, sluggish

Serosanguineous exudate

thin, watery, and pale red to pink in color

Addison's disease

A rare, chronic endocrine disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce sufficient steroid hormones.

Pulsus alternans

Alternating pulse; A physical finding with arterial pulse waveform showing alternating strong and weak beats.

Paralysis

Loss of muscle function for one or more muscles

Necrotic/Necrosis

the localized death of living cells

Lower respiratory infection

Infections of the trachea, airways, and lungs - include pneumonia, bronchitis, and croup

Hypokinesia

Refers to decreased bodily movement

Prolapse

Dropping or falling of an organ from its normal position

Auscultation

Term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope when examining the circulatory (heart), respiratory (lung), and gastrointestinal systems (abd) sounds.

Palpation

A method of feeling with the fingers or hands during a physical examination

Cardiac palpitation

The feeling of having rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats, rapid, violent throbbing or fluttering of the heart

Abdominal rebound

On exam when a physician palpates the abdomen, the patient experiences pain after the physician lifts his hand off the area that is being palpated.

Hemothorax

A collection of blood in the space between the chest wall and the lung (pleural cavity)

Malleolus

A rounded bony prominence such as those on either side of the ankle joint

Supple

Free movement of a body part, normal ROM; flexible

Diverticulitis

Inflammation of a diverticulum in the digestive tract (especially the colon); characterized by painful abdominal cramping and fever and constipation.

Colitis

Inflammation of the colon