Med-Surg Nursing Vocabulary Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering critical medical-surgical concepts including burn management, cardiac indicators, endocrine disorders, neurological emergencies, and renal function based on lecture notes.

Superficial partial thickness (1st degree) burn

A burn affecting only the epidermis, characterized by erythema, blanching on pressure, and pain, usually healing in 7 days without blisters.

Deep partial thickness (2nd degree) burn

A burn affecting the epidermis and dermis, characterized by extreme pain, blisters, redness that blanches, and a shiny red/pink moist appearance.

Full thickness (3rd & 4th degree) burn

A burn where all layers are destroyed, extending to muscle and bone; it is not painful due to nerve damage and requires skin grafting.

Parkland Formula

A calculation to determine 24-hour fluid needs for burn patients: $4\,\text{mL} \times \text{TBSA (\%)} \times \text{Body weight (kg)} = \text{total mL of Lactated Ringer's}$.

Eschar

Dead tissue resulting from a burn that can be dangerous if circumferential around the torso or an extremity, requiring an escharotomy.

Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)

A kidney condition to watch for in full thickness burns caused by the release of myoglobin and hemoglobin which block the kidney tubules.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer from a primary site to a distant site, frequently involving the lungs, liver, bone, brain, and adrenal glands.

Cancer cachexia

A wasting syndrome in cancer patients characterized by anorexia, unintended weight loss, and skeletal muscle atrophy that cannot be reversed nutritionally.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of the oral mucosa, a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation requiring daily assessment.

Cardiac Troponin (cTnT)

A protein released into the bloodstream when the heart muscle is damaged; considered the best indicator of an acute Myocardial Infarction ($\text{Normal} = 0-0.4\,\text{ng/mL}$).

Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP)

A peptide released when heart ventricles fill with too much fluid and stretch; levels increase in heart failure ($\text{Normal} < 100\,\text{pg/mL}$).

Ejection Fraction

The volume of blood expelled with every heart contraction ($\text{Normal} = 50-70\%$).

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

The average arterial pressure indicating perfusion of organs and tissues, calculated as $\text{MAP} = \frac{\text{SBP} + 2(\text{DBP})}{3}$ ($\text{Normal} = 70-100\,\text{mmHg}$).

Atherosclerosis

The buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries, which is the main cause of Coronary Artery Disease and Angina Pectoris.

STEMI

An ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, indicating a full blockage of a coronary artery with no oxygen reaching the heart muscle.

Trousseau's Sign

A clinical sign of hypocalcemia or hypomagnesemia characterized by carpal spasms induced by inflating a blood pressure cuff.

Chvostek Sign

A clinical sign of hypocalcemia or hypomagnesemia involving the twitching of facial muscles in response to tapping over the facial nerve.

Graves Disease

An autoimmune disorder causing hyperthyroidism, often presenting with protruding eyeballs (exophthalmos) and pretibial myxedema.

Thyroid Storm

A life-threatening emergency caused by sudden, extreme thyroid overactivity, characterized by fever, hypertension, and tachycardia.

Myxedema Coma

A life-threatening medical emergency due to extreme thyroid underactivity, often seen in elderly women and characterized by low temperature and respiratory failure.

Cushing's Syndrome

A condition caused by excessive cortisol, resulting in a 'buffalo hump,' 'moon face,' truncal obesity, and thin skin that bruises easily.

Addison's Disease

Primary adrenal insufficiency caused by a deficiency of cortisol and aldosterone, often resulting in salt craving and dark patches of skin.

Diabetes Insipidus (DI)

A condition caused by too little Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) resulting in polyuria ($4-24\,\text{L/day}$), polydipsia, and dehydration.

SIADH

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone, where the body makes too much ADH, leading to water retention, hyponatremia, and concentrated urine.

Metabolic Syndrome

A cluster of conditions including increased blood pressure, high blood glucose, excess waist fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels that increase heart disease risk.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

A complication of Type 1 Diabetes involving blood glucose $> 300\,\text{mg/dL}$, metabolic acidosis ($\text{pH} < 7.35$), and ketones on the breath.

Somogyi Effect

A drop in blood glucose in the middle of the night that causes rebound hyperglycemia in the morning.

H. pylori

A bacteria that is one of the two main causes of Peptic Ulcer Disease, often spread through contaminated consumption.

Crohn's Disease

An Inflammatory Bowel Disease characterized by scattered patches of inflammation ('cobblestone appearance') that can affect any part of the GI tract.

Ulcerative Colitis

An Inflammatory Bowel Disease affecting only the large intestine and rectum in a continuous pattern, starting in the rectum.

Celiac Disease

A hereditary autoimmune disorder also known as Gluten Enteropathy where the ingestion of gluten damages the villi of the small intestine.

Asterixis

A flapping hand tremor seen in patients with Cirrhosis due to the buildup of ammonia and toxins in the blood.

Cullen's Sign

A sign of retroperitoneal bleeding in severe acute pancreatitis characterized by bluish skin around the umbilicus.

Grey-Turner's Sign

A sign of retroperitoneal bleeding in severe acute pancreatitis characterized by bluish skin around the flanks.

McBurney's Point

The location in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen where pain is typically most severe during appendicitis.

Thrombocytopenia

A hematologic disorder characterized by a platelet count of less than $150,000\,\mu\text{L}$, leading to bruising and abnormal bleeding.

Compartment Syndrome

A neurovascular emergency where swelling causes increased pressure within a muscle compartment, requiring treatment within 6 hours to prevent nerve damage.

6 Ps of Compartment Syndrome

Clinical assessment markers: Pain, Paresthesia, Poikilothermia, Pallor, Paralysis, and Pulselessness.

Fat Embolism Syndrome

A condition where systemic fat globules from fractures (usually long bones) travel to the lungs and organs, often occurring $24-48\,\text{hours}$ post-injury.

Broca's Area

The region in the frontal lobe responsible for expressive speech; damage results in the ability to understand speech but not speak clearly.

Wernicke's Area

The region in the temporal lobe responsible for understanding language; damage results in 'word salad' or sentences with no meaning.

Cushing's Triad

A neurologic emergency indicating increased ICP, characterized by systolic hypertension (widening pulse pressure), bradycardia, and altered respirations.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

A scale used to assess neurological status based on eye opening, verbal, and motor responses; a score of 8 or less indicates severe head injury.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune disorder characterized by the demyelination of the axons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to permanent loss of nerve function.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction where antibodies attack Acetylcholine (ACh) receptors, leading to skeletal muscle weakness.

Guillain-Barr\u00e9 Syndrome

An autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, causing ascending, progressive, symmetrical weakness.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

A measure of the total amount of filtrate formed per minute by the kidneys ($\text{Normal} = 90-120\,\text{mL/min}$).

RAAS

The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System, a series of reactions in the body designed to help regulate and increase blood pressure.

ARDS

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, a type of respiratory failure resulting from capillary membrane damage and fluid leaking into the alveoli sacs.

Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)

A life-threatening complication of shock where two or more organs fail due to decreased tissue perfusion.