Exam 3 Practice Questions (Medical-Surgical) - Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms, definitions, and concepts from the lecture notes to aid exam preparation.

Endometriosis

Endometrial tissue implanted outside the uterus.

Cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Infection with Chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea).

A1C

Average blood glucose level over about 3 months.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - signs & symptoms

Hesitancy, weak/prolonged urinary stream, dribbling, urinary frequency, nocturia.

Stress incontinence

Leakage with increased intra-abdominal pressure (coughing, sneezing, laughing); common after childbirth and menopause.

Addison’s disease

Adrenal insufficiency with low cortisol; hyponatremia and hyperkalemia; hyperpigmentation; often high-sodium diet recommended.

Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism)

Autoimmune hyperthyroidism with excess T3/T4; symptoms include goiter, heat intolerance, weight loss with increased appetite, nervousness, tremors, tachycardia, exophthalmos.

SIADH

Excess ADH causing water retention and electrolyte imbalance, leading to hypotonic hyponatremia.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Serious complication of type 1 diabetes with severe hyperglycemia and ketone production.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells; lifelong insulin therapy.

Peptic ulcers (PUD)

Infection with Helicobacter pylori is a primary cause.

Passive immunity

Immunity from ready-made antibodies from another source (natural or artificial). Natural: maternal IgG and IgA; Artificial: antibody injections (e.g., rabies IgG, antivenom, Hepatitis B immune globulin).

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Chronic systemic autoimmune disease targeting synovial joints with inflammation, pannus formation, and joint destruction; usually symmetric.

ABCDE criteria for melanoma

Asymmetry, Border irregular, Color variation, Diameter >6 cm, Evolution.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)

Genetic mutations causing multiple kidney cysts.

Artificial active immunity

Immunity acquired through vaccination (e.g., MMR, influenza, Hepatitis B).

Type II (cytotoxic) hypersensitivity

Antibody-mediated immune reaction; examples include hemolytic anemia, Goodpasture syndrome, Graves’ disease, myasthenia gravis, transfusion reactions.

Fluid volume deficit (hypovolemia)

Loss of body fluids exceeding intake; dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea.

Intracellular fluid (ICF)

Fluid inside cells; about two-thirds of total body water; high in potassium and magnesium.

Fluid excretion

Urination and sweating (also bowel movements and respiration).

Diffusion

Movement of solutes from high to low concentration; passive transport; no ATP required.

Sodium–potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase)

Active transport moving Na+ out of and K+ into cells against gradients.

Meningitis symptoms

Severe headache, neck stiffness (nuchal rigidity), photophobia.

Decorticate posturing

Arms flexed and adducted toward the chest; indicates cerebral hemispheric injury.

Decerebrate posturing

Arms extended and adducted with wrists/fingers flexed; indicates brainstem injury.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Demyelination of CNS neurons; symptoms include spasticity, gait imbalance, unilateral vision problems.

Stroke (CVA)

Interruption of blood flow to the brain.

Ischemic stroke

Blockage of a cerebral artery.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Rupture of a blood vessel with bleeding into brain tissue or subarachnoid space.

Alzheimer’s disease

Neurodegenerative disease with progressive memory loss and cognitive decline; histology shows neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques.

Cerebral palsy

Irreversible brain damage occurring before, during, or after birth or infancy; affects movement/posture.

Cerebral palsy manifestations in children

Spasticity and delayed developmental milestones.

Quadriplegia

Paralysis of all four limbs; usually due to severe brain injury.

Hemiplegia

Paralysis of one side of the body; opposite brain injury.

Diplegia

Both sides affected; legs more severely affected than arms.

Focal (partial) seizure

Seizure that begins in one hemisphere of the brain.

Tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure

Muscle stiffening followed by jerking and immediate loss of consciousness.

Early signs of hydrocephalus

Headaches.

Hydrocephalus in infants

Enlarged head with bulging fontanelles; high-pitched cry.

Hydrocephalus in older children

Visual and behavioral changes (can be associated with intracranial tumors).

Migraine

Severe headaches; may include nausea, photophobia, and aura.

Parkinson’s disease

Dopamine deficiency causing tremors, rigidity, masklike facies, and shuffling gait.

S/S of increased intracranial pressure (ICP)

Headache (and may include nausea, vomiting, altered consciousness).

Alzheimer’s disease and communication

Progressive loss of the ability to communicate.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Stroke-like symptoms that subside within 24 hours (often within hours).

Leukemia

Cancer of white blood cells (leukocytes).

Dysmenorrhea

Painful menstruation.

Testicular cancer signs

Hard, painless lump in the testicle.

Frequent urination in BPH

Increased urination due to incomplete bladder emptying.

Menopause symptoms

Hot flashes (and other symptoms not detailed here).

Cryptorchidism

Undescended testis.

Erectile dysfunction (physiologic cause)

Circulation impairment causing reduced penile blood flow.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Hormonal imbalance with enlarged ovaries containing multiple cysts; menstrual irregularities and insulin resistance may occur.

Huntington’s chorea

Inherited neurodegenerative disorder with rapid involuntary movements, emotional disturbances, and cognitive decline.

Alzheimer’s disease (neurofibrillary tangles and plaques)

Presence of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques in the brain.

Trigger for thrombus formation

Endothelial injury (damage to the inner lining of blood vessels).

SA node dysfunction

Dysrhythmia due to failure of sinoatrial node conduction.

Hypovolemic shock

Shock from massive blood loss leading to low circulating volume.

Coronary artery disease (CAD)

Narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries due to atherosclerosis.

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Death/necrosis of myocardial tissue due to prolonged ischemia.

Cardiogenic shock

Shock due to heart pump failure, often after MI.

Myocardial infarction (MI) – definition

Insufficient delivery of oxygenated blood to the myocardium causing tissue death.

MI clinical manifestation

Chest pain or crushing pressure, often radiating to left arm, shoulder, or jaw.

Leukemia infection predisposition cause

Infection risk due to proliferation of immature leukocytes.

Lymphoma symptoms

Painless lymph node enlargement with B symptoms (fever, night sweats, weight loss).

Sickle cell anemia signs

Pain crises, shortness of breath, and sickled hemoglobin (HbS).

Pernicious anemia

Vitamin B12 deficiency due to lack of intrinsic factor.

Iron-deficiency anemia

Insufficient iron leading to low hemoglobin and reduced oxygen carrying capacity.

Asthma pathophysiology

Inflammatory bronchial disease with bronchial hyperreactivity and bronchospasm.

Emphysema (clinical manifestation)

Dyspnea on exertion, wheezing, diminished breath sounds.

Pneumothorax

Collapsed lung due to air in the pleural cavity.

Barrel chest (emphysema)

Increased chest diameter from air trapping in the alveoli.

Influenza symptoms

Cough, nasal congestion, and low-grade fever.

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing when lying down.

Asthma signs

Wheezing (and dyspnea).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) signs

Dyspnea on exertion; chronic cough and sputum production may be present.

Cystic fibrosis (CF)

Inherited disorder affecting mucus and sweat glands; mostly impacts lungs, pancreas, and reproductive system.

Nosocomial pneumonia

Hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Aspiration pneumonia

Pneumonia resulting from inhalation of food, liquid, gastric contents, or secretions into the lungs.

Right-sided heart failure

Systemic venous congestion with peripheral edema and related symptoms.

Heart failure symptoms

Gradual increase in dyspnea, anxiety, edema of feet and ankles.

Left-sided heart failure

Pulmonary congestion due to backup of blood into the lungs.

Hypoxia with pneumonia

Impaired oxygen diffusion due to lung congestion and consolidation.

Pleural effusion

Collection of fluid or pus in the pleural cavity.

Cystic fibrosis – most common cause of death

Respiratory failure from chronic lung disease.

Cystic fibrosis overview

Inherited progressive disorder of mucus and sweat glands affecting lungs, pancreas, and reproductive organs.

RBC hemoglobin decreases effect

Reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Tuberculosis (TB) microorganism

Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

TB transmission

Airborne transmission; requires precautions such as negative-pressure room.

Ventilation

Process of moving air into the lungs and distributing it to the alveoli.

Hypercapnia

Increased carbon dioxide in the blood, typically from hypoventilation.

Pneumonia transmission

Spread via respiratory droplets.

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

A clot that travels from the legs to the lungs and occludes pulmonary arteries.

Embolus

A clot or fragment that travels through the circulation.

Thrombus

A stationary blood clot attached to a vessel wall or heart chamber.

Anaphylactic shock

Severe allergic reaction with airway obstruction and hypotension.

Hypertension – organ damage risk

Hypertension can damage the heart and kidneys (and other organs).

Unstable angina

Chest pain not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin; high risk of MI.

Septic shock

Shock due to severe infection with reduced tissue perfusion; may involve altered cardiac output.

Hypertension risk factors (non-modifiable)

Age, family history, race, and gender.