Q-Z 1

Rales

Abnormal rattling or cracking sounds heard when listening to breath sounds through a stethoscope; caused by air passing through fluid in the bronchioles; sign of pulmonary edema.

Rapid Cycling

Four or more mood episodes (major depressive, manic, or hypomanic) within 1 year.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

A state of sleep that recurs cyclically several times during a normal period of sleep and that is characterized by increased neuronal activity of the forebrain and midbrain, by depressed muscle tone, and especially in humans by dreaming, rapid eye movements, and vascular congestion of the sex organs.

Receptor Editing

A process that occurs during the maturation of B cells, which are part of the adaptive immune system. This process forms part of central tolerance to attempt to change the specificity of the antigen receptor of self-reactive immature B-cells, to rescue them from programmed cell death, called apoptosis.

Rectal Prolapse

Externally visible sinking of the rectum through the anal sphincter.

Recurrence

A relapse that occurs after a clear-cut recovery.

Regurgitation

The effortless and nonprojectile passage of refluxed gastric contents into the pharynx or mouth.

Relapse

he return of symptoms, satisfying the full syndrome criteria, after a patient has responded, but prior to recovery.

Remission

Patient has no or minimal symptoms of disease. In the case of cancer, in partial remission, some but not all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system

The hormonal system controlled mainly by the kidneys and adrenal glands that regulates blood pressure, blood volume, and electrolyte balance.

Resistance-associated substitution

Resistance to a drug resulting in decrease antiviral activity caused by an amino acid change in the viral protein

Respiratory Disturbance Index

A summary measure that quantifies the number of apneas, hypopneas, and respiratory effort-related arousals per hour of sleep

Response

A predefined reduction of symptoms from baseline that generally results in significant functional improvement.

Response Inhibition

Ability to stay on task or the ability to think before acting.

Reticulocytes

Immature blood cells that mature into erythrocytes.

Retinopathy

Occurs when the microvasculature nerve layer that provides blood and nutrients to the retina is damaged, and can cause blindness.

Retrograde Ejaculation

Semen flows to the bladder instead of the urethra

Retrograde Pyelography

Injection of a radiocontrast agent into the ureters to visualize the ureter and kidney with fluoroscopy or radiography.

Reverse Transcriptase

Enzyme that catalyzes the formation of DNA from an RNA template in reverse transcription.

Rhabdomyolysis

Destruction of skeletal muscle

Rheumatic Fever

A rare, acute immune-mediated disease that occurs mainly in children and young adults that is characterized by fever, arthritis, and inflammation of the pericardium and heart valves; it is associated with untreated or undertreated group A streptococcal disease.

Rheumatoid Factors

Antibodies reactive with the Fc region of IgG.

Quality Indicators

A list of indicators used by long-term care facility administrators and government overseers to identify potential problems in patient care.

Quality of Life

Perceived physical and mental health over time.

Radon

A chemically inert, radioactive gaseous element produced by the decay of radium.

Rhonchi

Abnormal, rumbling sounds heard on auscultation of an obstructed airway. They are more prominent during expiration and may clear somewhat on coughing.

Rubefacient

A substance that produces redness of the skin.

Salicylism

A toxic syndrome caused by excessive doses of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), salicylic acid, or any other salicylate product. Signs and symptoms may include severe headache, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), confusion, increased pulse, and increased respiratory rate.

Scleritis

Inflammation of the outer layer of the eyeball (sclera).

scotoma

A spot in the visual field in which vision is absent or deficient.

Secondary Amenorrhea

Absence of menses for 3 cycles or 6 months in a previously menstruating woman.

Seizure

A sudden electrical disturbance of the cerebral cortex, when a population of neurons fires rapidly and repetitively for seconds to minutes, and electrical discharges are excessively rapid, rhythmic, and synchronous.

Sentinel Lymph Node

The first lymph node to which cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor.

Septic Emboli

A detached, traveling intravascular mass of infected tissue. An infected emboli containing the causative organism that breaks off from a vegetation or cardiac foci, which then travels to various areas of the body resulting in significant complications.

Sequestra

A fragment of dead bone detached from healthy bone.

seropositive

Showing a positive reaction to a test on blood serum for a disease.

Severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy

Resistant epilepsy that occurs in the first year of life of previously healthy children.

Sialorrhea

Drooling

Sigmoidoscopy

Visual inspection of the sigmoid colon and rectum with a flexible tube called a sigmoidoscope.

Sleep Apnea

The temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep; can be caused by narrowing of the airways resulting from swelling of soft tissue.

Sleep Latency

The amount of time it takes to fall asleep.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

A surgical treatment for weight loss that involves constructing a small gastric “sleeve” b

Slit-lamp Biomicroscope

An instrument that allows for the microscopic examination of the cornea, anterior chamber lens, and posterior chamber.

source Control

Removal of primary source of infection through surgery, drainage, or removal of infected material.

Spasticity

Feelings of stiffness and involuntary muscle contractions or sudden movements.

Spirometry

Measurement by means of a spirometer of the air entering and leaving the lungs

Sputum Smear

Microscopic examination on a glass slide of material produced from the lungs usually collected through coughing.

Stable Disease

In cancer, neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for partial response nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease.

Status Epilepticus

Continuous seizure activity lasting more than 5 minutes or two or more seizures without complete recovery of consciousness.

Steatohepatitis

A severe form of liver disease caused by fat deposition in the liver, characterized by hepatic inflammation that may rapidly progress to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Steatorrhea

Passage of fat in large amounts in the feces, due to failure to digest and absorb it.

Steatosis

Infiltration of liver cells with fat

stent Retriever

Thrombectomy devices used to trap a thrombus between the arterial wall and stent to allow rapid restoration of blood flow. The stent is pulled back to remove the thrombus.

stenting

Placement of a stent (a metal or plastic tube) to allow blood flow through an artery.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

A severe expression of erythema multiforme (also known as erythema multiforme major). It typically involves the skin and the mucous membranes, with the potential for severe morbidity and even death.

Stimulant

Any amphetamine or amphetamine-like substance (methylphenidate) that causes an increase in dopaminergic and norepinephrine activity in the brain resulting in lessening of hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and/or inattentiveness.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of mucous membranes in the mouth.

Stricture

An abnormal narrowing of a body passage, especially a tube or a canal.

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood ejected from the heart during systole.

ST-segment Elevation MI

A type of myocardial infarction that typically results in an injury that transects the thickness of the myocardial wall.

subchondral

Situated beneath and supporting cartilage.

substance use disorder

The recurrent use of a substance and the pathological pattern of behaviors that result from substance use, including significant impairment in health, disability, or failure to meet obligations at home, work, or school.

substantia nigra

The area in the brainstem with highly pigmented cells that make dopamine.

Subtrochanteric

Below the trochanter (the bony protrusion at the end of the femur where the hip and thigh muscles attach).

Suspending Agent

An additive used in the compounding of oral liquid medications to suspend drug particles throughout a liquid and enables resuspension of particles by agitation (eg, shaking well).

Swan Neck Deformity

Joint deformity associated with rheumatoid arthritis that presents as flexion of the distal interphalangeal joints with hyperextension of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

Sympathomimetics

Drugs that mimic the effects of stimulating adrenergic sympathetic nerves.

Synechia

Adhesions or abnormal attachment of the iris to another structure.

Synergism

Combination of agents (eg, bacteria, drugs) increasing the activity or severity greater than the sum of the individual effects.

Synovitis

Inflammation of the synovial membrane, often in combination with pain and swelling of the affected joint.

Synovium

The membrane lining the internal surfaces of joints.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome

A complex pathophysiologic response to an insult such as infection, trauma, burns, pancreatitis, and/or other injuries.

T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

A setting of the magnetic resonance imaging machine that shows water and similar fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid as a bright signal.

Tachycardia

An abnormally rapid heart rate.

Tachyphylaxis

Rapidly diminishing response to successive doses of a drug, rendering it less effective.

Tachypnea

Faster than normal respiratory rate.

Tachypneic

Rapid breathing indicated by a rate of greater than 20 breaths per minute.

Tachysystole

More than five contractions in 10 minutes, averaged over a 30-minute window.