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Med Term zCH15
Med Term zCH15 Diagnostic Procedures, Nuclear Medicine, and Pharmacology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| albumin/o | albumin, protein |
| calc/i | calcium, lime, the heel |
| -centesis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
| creatin/o | creatinine |
| glycos/o | glucose, sugar |
| -graphy | the process of producing a picture or record |
| hemat/o | blood, relating to the blood |
| lapar/o | abdomen, abdominal wall |
| -otomy | cutting, surgical incision |
| phleb/o | vein |
| radi/o | radiation, x-rays |
| -scope | instrument for visual examination |
| -scopy | visual examination |
| son/o | sound |
| -uria | urination, urine |
| assessment | evaluation or appraisal of the patient's condition. Used to reach diagnosis and in formulating a plan of care. |
| observation | 1st step in physical assessment, observing overall appearance, emotional affect, and ambulation. |
| overall appearance | observation: includes # of factors: how appropriately is patient dressed, whether any body odor, signs of possible difficulties w/ self-care. |
| emotional affect | observation: refers to patient's expression, tone of voice, mood, & emotions. |
| affect | the outward expression of emotion |
| ambulation | observation: the way the patient walks, including gait, any unsteadiness, or possible difficulty. |
| vital signs | 4 key indications that body systems are functioning. temperature, pulse, respiration, & blood pressure. |
| VSS | vital signs stable |
| Avg normal body temperature | 98.6 deg F or 37.0 deg C |
| fever | oral body temperature of 100 deg F or higher, most commonly caused by an infection, an injury, or medications. |
| temperature readings named for location in which they are taken: | oral (mouth), aural (ear), axillary (armpit), and rectal (in the rectum), temporal artery (forehead - scanner) |
| hyperthermia | extremely high fever |
| hypothermia | abnormally low body temperature |
| pulse | rhythmic pressure against the walls of an artery that is caused by the beating of the heart. Pulse rate reflects # of times heart beats each minute & is recorded as bpm |
| normal resting heart rate | differs by age group. Adults: 60-100 bpm, newborn 100-160 bpm, athletes 40-60 bpm |
| respiration | aka respiratory rate, RR; # of breaths per min. Single respiration is 1 inhalation & 1 exhalation. Normal adults: 12-20 min |
| blood pressure | BP; force of blood against the walls of the arteries. |
| sphygmomanometer | measures force of blood against walls of arteries (measures BP). Digital does not require use of stethoscope |
| stethoscope | required to listen to the blood sounds for BP |
| systolic blood pressure | first beat heard |
| diastolic blood pressure | last beat heard |
| pain | 5th vital sign, but subjective (determined by patient). |
| pain rating scale | patient is asked to describe his/ her level of pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). |
| acute pain | comes on quickly, can be severe and lasts only a relatively short time. Cane be caused by disease, inflammation, or injury to the tissues. Goes away when treated |
| chronic pain | can be mild or severe, persists over longer period of time than acute pain & is resistant to most med treatments. Often causes severe problems for patient |
| auscultation | listening for sounds w/in the body & is usually performed through a stethoscope |
| respiratory sounds | heard through stethoscope, provide info about condition of lungs & pleura as patient breathes |
| rales | aka crackles; abnormal crackle-like lung sounds heard through a stethoscope during inspiration (breathing in) |
| rhonchi | coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat snoring. Usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways |
| stridor | abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box) |
| auscultation | listening through a stethoscope to sounds w/in the body |
| 2 distinct sounds of heartbeat through stethoscope | lubb dupp or lub dub |
| lubb sound | 1 of 2 distinct heartbeat sounds, heard 1st, caused by tricuspid & mitral valves closing btw the atria & ventricles |
| dupp sound | 1 of 2 distinct heartbeat sounds, heard 2nd, shorter & higher pitched. Caused by closing of the semilunar valves in aorta & pulmonary arteries as blood is pumped out of the heart |
| bruit | abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery. Usually due to partially blocked, narrowed, or diseased artery. |
| thrill | abnormal rhythmic vibration felt when palpating an artery. |
| heart murmur | abnormal heart sound that is most commonly a sign of defective heart valves. Described by volume & stage of the heartbeat when murmur heard. |
| abdominal sounds | aka bowel sounds; normal noises made by intestines. Auscultation of abdomen performed to evaluate sounds & detect abnormalities. |
| Ex of what increased bowel sounds might mean | bowel obstruction |
| absence of bowel sounds | could indicate an ileus, which is the stopping of intestinal peristalsis |
| palpation | an examination technique in which the examiner's hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, & location of certain body parts |
| percussion | diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface w/ fingers |
| ophthalmoscope | instrument used to examine the interior of the eye |
| otoscope | instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal & tympanic membrane |
| speculum | instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity, especially the vagina, to facilitate inspection of its interior |
| stethoscope | an instrument used to listen to sounds w/in the body |
| recumbent | any position in which the patient is lying down, cane be back-front-or side. |
| decubitus | used in radiography, describes the patient lying in recumbent position |
| positions in which patient is face-up | horizontal recumbent, dorsal recombent, lithotomy |
| positions in which patient is face-down or on side | prone, Sims', knee-chest |
| horizontal recumbent position | aka supine position; patient is lying on back, face up. Used for exams & treatment of anterior surface of body & for x-rays |
| dorsal recumbent position | patient is lying on the back, face up, w/ knees bent. Used for exam & treatment of abdominal area & for vaginal or rectal exams |
| lithotomy position | patient is lying on the back, face up, w/ feet & legs raised & supported in stirrups. Used for vaginal & rectal exams & during childbirth |
| prone position | patient is lying on the abdomen face down. Arms may placed under head for comfort. Used for exam & treatment of back & buttocks |
| Sims' position | patient is lying on the left side w/ right knee & thigh drawn up w/ left arm placed along the back. Used in exam & treatment of rectal area |
| knee-chest position | patient lying face down w;/ hips bent so that knees & chest rest on table. Used for rectal exams |
| stat | results needed immediately & have top priority |
| profile, when used in regard to laboratory tests | tests that are frequently performed as a group on automated multi-channel laboratory testing equipment |
| phlebotomist | medical professional who is trained to draw blood from patients for various laboratory tests & other procedures |
| phlebotomy | aka venipuncture; puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood. |
| arterial stick | puncture of an artery, usually on inside of wrist, to obtain arterial blood. |
| Arterial blood vs. venous blood | differ in concentration of dissolved gases containted |
| capillary puncture | technique used when only a small amt of blood is needed as a specimen for a blood test. |
| finger, heel, or earlobe stick | common places where a capillary puncture is performed & named after |
| complete blood cell count | CBC; series of tests performed as a group to evaluate several blood conditions. |
| erythrocyte sedimentation rate | aka sed rate; test based on the speed with which RBC's separate from plasma & fall to bottom of specialized test tube. |
| elevated set rate indicates | presence of inflammation in the body |
| normal range for sed rate, adults under 50 | <15-20 mm/hr |
| normal range for sed rate, adults over 50 | <20-30mm/hr |
| hematocrit | Hct; describes percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by RBC's. Used to diagnose abnormal states of hydration, polycythemia, and anemia. |
| hydration | fluid levels in body |
| polycythemia | excess RBC's |
| anemia | deficient RBC's |
| platelet count | measures # of platelets in a specified amt of blood & is a screening test to evaluate platelet function. Also to monitor changes in blood assoc w/ chemotherapy & radiation |
| thrombocytosis | an abnormal increase in # of platelets |
| thrombocytopenia | abnormal decrease in # of platelets |
| red blood cell count | RBC; determination of the # of erythrocytes in the blood. Depressed count can indicate anemia or an acute hemorrhage |
| total hemoglobin test | Hb; usually part of a complete blood count. Can be elevated or low levels |
| Elevated Hb levels indicate | Higher than normal hemoglobin concentration in plasma due to polycythemia or dehydration. |
| Low Hb levels indicate | lower than normal hemoglobin concentration due to anemia, recent hemorrhage, or fluid retention |
| -globin | protein |
| white blood cell count | WBC; determination of the # of leukocytes in the blood. Elevated count can be indication of infection or inflammation |
| white blood cell differential count | tests to see what % of total WBC count is composed of each of the 5 types of leukocytes. Provides info about immune system, detects certain types of leukemia, determines severity of infection |
| basic metabolic panel | BMP or Profile 8; group of 8 specific blood tests that provide important info about current status of patient's kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, & calcium levels. |
| significant changes in basic metabolic panel | can indicate acute problems such as kidney failure, diabetes-related complications, or respiratory problems. |
| blood urea nitrogen test | BUN; measures the amt of nitrogen in blood due to waste product area. Performed to obtain an indication of kidney function. |
| Urea | major end product of protein metabolism found in urine & blood |
| crossmatch test | performed to determine compatibility of blood donor & recipient before a blood transfusion. Agglutination is a positive reaction that indicates donor unit is not suitable match |
| agglutination | clumping together of RBC's |
| C-reactive protein test | CRP; performed to identify levels of inflammation w/in body. |
| The info provided by C-reactive protein test is obtained by the presence of the | C-reactive protein, which is produced by the liver only in episodes of acute inflammation. Elevated level can indicate heart attack, coronary artery disease, or autoimmune disorder |
| lipid panel | aka lipid profile; measures amts of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides in blood sample |
| prothrombin time | aka pro time; coagulation test used to diagnose conditions assoc w/ abnormalities of clotting time & to monitor anticoagulant therapy. |
| a longer prothrombin time can be caused by | serious liver disease, bleeding disorders, blood-thinning medicines, or lack of vit K |
| serum bilirubin test | measures ability of the liver to take up, process, & secrete bilirubin into the bile. Test useful in determining whether patient has liver disease or a blocked bile duct. |
| thyroid-stimulating hormone assay | measures circulating blood levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that can indicate abnormal thyroid activity. |
| arterial blood gas analysis | ABG; measures the pH, oxygen, & carbon dioxide levels of arterial blood. Used to evaluate lung & kidney function & overall metabolism |
| urinalysis | examination of the physical & chemical properties of urine to determine the presense of abnormal elemebts |
| routine urinalysis | performed to screen for urinary & systemic disorders. Uses dipstick. |
| routine urinalysis dipstick | plastic strip impregnated w/ chemicals that react w/ substances in the urine & change color when abnormalities are present |
| microscopic examination | specimen is performed when more detailed testing of the specimen is necessary, ex to identify casts. |
| casts | fibrous or protein materials, such as pus & fats, that are thrown off into the urine in kidney disease |
| average normal range of pH of urine | 4.5 to 8.0 |
| abbreviation pH describes | degree of acidity or alkalinity of a substance |
| pH value below 7 | indicates acid urine & is an indication of acidosis |
| acidosis | excessive acid in body fluids ("d" for down, below 7) |
| alkalosis | opposite of acidosis ("l" for elevated....above 7) |
| pH value above 7 | indicates alkaline urine & can indicate conditions such as a UTI |
| specific gravity of urine | reflects amt of wastes, minerals, and solids that are present |
| low specific gravity of urine | aka dilute urine; characteristic of diabetes insipidus |
| high specific gravity of urine | aka concentrated urine; occurs in conditions like dehydration, liver failure, or shock. |
| albuminuria | presence of protein albumin in urine. High test levels are sign of impaired kidney function. |
| albumin | form of protein found in most body tissues |
| bacteriuria | presence of bacteria in urine |
| calciuria | presence of calcium in urine. |
| Abnormally high levels of calciuria | can be diagnostic for hyperparathyroidism |
| Lower-than-normal levels of calciuria | can indicate osteomalacia |
| creatinuria | increased concentration of creatinine in the urine |
| creatinine | waste product of muscle metabolism that is normally removed by the kidneys. Presence of excess creatinine is indication of increased muscle breakdown or disruption of kidney function |
| drug-screening urine test | rapid method of identifying the presence in the body of 1 or more drugs of abuse such as cocaine, heroin, & marijuana. Also detect performance-enhancing drugs by athletes |
| glycosuria | presence of glucose in urine. Most commonly caused by untreated diabetes mellitus |
| hematuria | presence of blood in urine. Can be caused by kidney stones, infection, kidney damage, or bladder cancer. |
| ketonuria | presence of ketones in urine. |
| ketones | formed when body breaks down fat, & their presence in urine can indicate starvation or uncontrolled diabetes |
| proteinuria | presence of an abnormal amt of protein in the urine. Usually sign of kidney disease |
| pyuria | presence of pus in urine. When pus present, urine is turbid in appearance |
| turbid | cloudy or smoky appearance |
| urine culture & sensitivity tests | aka urine C & S; lab test that is used to ID cause of UTI & to determine which antibiotic would be most effective treatment |
| endoscopy | visual exam of interior of body cavity. Usually named for organs involved. |
| endoscopic surgery | surgical procedure that is performed through very small incisions w/ use of an endoscope & specialized instruments. Named for body parts involved. |
| endoscope | small, flexible tube w/ light & lens on the end. Fiberoptic instruments named for body parts they are designed to examine |
| laparoscopy | visual exam of interior of abdomen w/ use of laparoscope that is passed through small incision in abdominal wall. |
| lapar/o | abdomen |
| why is laparoscope used | explore/examine interior of abdomen, take specimens to be biopsied, perform surgical procedures such as endoscopic removal of diseased gallbladder. |
| centesis | surgical puncture to remove excess fluid or to remove fluid for diagnostic purposes. |
| abdominocentesis | surgical puncture of abdominal cavity to remove fluid |
| -centisis | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
| amniocentesis | surgical puncture to remove amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac |
| arthrocentesis | surgical puncture of joint space to remove synovial fluid for analysis to determine cause of pain or swelling in joint |
| cardiocentesis | aka cardiopuncture; puncture of a chamber of the heart for diagnosis or therapy |
| pericardiocentesis | puncture of the pericardial sac for purpose of removing fluid. Used to treat pericarditis |
| peri- | surrounding |
| endo | within |
| contrast medium | administered by swallowing, via enema, or intravenously to make specific body structures visible. Media either radiopaque or radiolucent |
| radiopaque | the substance does not allow x-rays to pass through & appears white or light gray on resulting film. |
| radiolucent | the substance, such as air or nitrogen gas, allows x-rays to pass through & appears black or dark gray on resulting film |
| intravenous contrast medium | injected into a vein to make the flow of blood through blood vessels & organs visible |
| intra- | within |
| radiography | x-ray; uses x-radiation passing through patient to expose film or create digital image that shows body in profile. |
| resulting film appearance in radiography | hard tissues are light, soft tissues are shades of gray, air is black |
| computed tomography | CT; uses x-radiation w/ computer assistance to produce multiple cross-sectional views of body. |
| resulting film appearance in computed tomography | hard tissues are light, soft tissues appear as shades of gray |
| magnetic resonance imaging | MRI; uses combination of radio waves & strong magnetic field to produce images. |
| resulting film appearance in magnetic resonance imaging | hard tissues dark, soft tissues appear as shades of gray |
| conventional radiology | creates image of hard-tissue internal structures by exposure of sensitized film to x-radiation. |
| radiograph/ radiogram/ x-ray | resulting film of conventional radiology |
| ionizing radiation | x-radiation; beneficial in producing diagnostic images & in treating cancer, but exposure can be dangerous w/ cumulative effects. |
| invisible, has no odor, & cannot be felt | x-radiation |
| dosimetry | science of measuring radiation exposure |
| radiopaque hard tissues | bone/ tooth enamel, appear white or light gray on radiograph. |
| radiolucent soft tissues | muscles & skin, appear as shades of gray to black on radiograph |
| radiologist | physician who specializes in diagnosing & treating diseases & disorders w/ x-rays & other forms of radiant engery |
| interventional radiology | use of radiographic imaging to guide a procedure such as a biopsy. Also used to confirm the placement of an inserted object such as a stent or feeding tube |
| radiographic positioning | describes placement of patient's body & part of body that is closest to x-ray. |
| radiographic projection | path that the x-ray beam follows through the patient's body from entrance to exit |
| extraoral radiography | film is placed & exposed outside of the mouth |
| panoramic radiograph | aka Panorex; shows all structures in both dental arches in a single film |
| intraoral radiography | film is placed within the mouth & exposed by a camera positioned next to exterior of cheek |
| tomography | use of x-rays or ultrasound to produce a cross-section of the body |
| computed tomography scan | CT, computerized axial tomography CAT; uses thin, fan-shaped x-ray beam that rotates around patient to produce multiple cross-sectional views of body |
| CT more effective than ? at imaging compact bone & preferred for head injuries or strokes | MRI |
| contrast dye for CT scans | iodine |
| tomotherapy | use of tomography in cancer treatment |
| magnetic resonance imaging | MRI; uses combination of radio waves & strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer & converted into images of any plane through the body. |
| MRI's used to | construct images of internal organs & tissues that often do not show up well in radiographs. |
| MRI's are noninvasive means of examining | soft tissues such as those of heart, blood vessels, brain, spinal cord, joints, muscles, & internal organs. |
| MRI images can be produced in | coronal, sagittal, or oblique planes & are created w/o use of x-radiation |
| closed MRI | most common w/ most accurate pictures. Narrow, loud |
| open MRI | less confining than closed, more comfortable for some ppl. Lower field strength which limits use |
| gadolinium | natural chemical element sometimes used for contrast in MRI for patient's allergic to iodine |
| magnetic resonance angiography | MRA, magnetic resonance angio; helps locate problems w/ BV's throughout body. Frequent alternative to angiography |
| fluoroscopy | visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen. |
| luminous | glowing |
| cineradiography | recording of fluoroscopy images |
| cine- | relationship to movement |
| ultrasonography | aka ultrasound, diagnostic ultrasound; imaging of deep body structures by recording the echoes of sound wave pulses that are above the range of human hearing. No radiation |
| sonogram | image created by ultrasonography. |
| sonographer | technician specifically trained in ultrasonography |
| common uses of ultrasound | evaluating fetal development; detecting presence of gallstones or blood clot; identifying tears in tendons, muscles or ligaments; confirming presence of a mass found on mammogram. |
| carotid ultrasonography | use of sound waves to image the carotid artery to detect and obstruction that could cause an ischemic stroke |
| echocardiography | ultrasonic diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the structures & motion of the heart. |
| resulting record of an echocardiography | echocardiogram |
| Doppler echocardiogram | performed in same way as an echocardiogram; measures speed & direction of blood flow w/in heart |
| fetal ultrasound | noninvasive procedure used to image & evaluate fetal development during pregnancy. |
| 3D/4D ultrasound | technique that uses specialized equipment to create photograph-like images of the developing child |
| transesophageal echocardiography | TEE; ultrasonic imaging technique used to evaluate heart structures. Performed from inside esphagus & b/c esophagus so close to heart, technique produces clearer images than those obtained w/ echocardiography |
| nuclear medicine | radiopharmaceuticals are used for either diagnosing or treatment purposes. |
| radiopharmaceuticals | contain radioactive materials called radioisotopes that produce a powerful form of energy called radiation. Can be inserted into a vein, taken by mouth, or placed inside body |
| radiation therapy | nuclear medicine used for treatment of cancer & thyroid disease |
| nuclear medicine technologist | specializes in preparation & administration or radiopharmaceuticals |
| nuclear imaging | use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes. Images document structure & formation of organ or organs being examined. Low dose of radiopharmaceuticals taken internally |
| each radiopharmaceutical contains | radionuclide tracer (radioactive tracer), which is specific to the body system being examined. The short-lived tracer can be given by mouth or inserted into vein |
| radiopharmaceuticals emit | gamma rays that are detected by a special camera attached to a computer. Used to generate an image showing the pattern of absorption that can be indicative of pathology |
| nuclear scan | aka scintigram; diagnostic procedure that uses nuclear med technology to gather info about structure & function of organs or body systems that cannot be seen on conventional x-rays |
| bone scan | nuclear scanning test that ID's new areas of bone growth or breakdown. Can evaluate damage to bones, detect cancer that has metastasized to bones, & monitor conditions that affect bones. |
| the results of bone scan are obtained after... | a radionuclide tracer is injected into the bloodstream, & patient then waits while material travels through body tissues. |
| thyroid scan | radiopharmaceutical containing radioactive iodine is administered. Scan makes use of thyroid gland's ability to concentrate certain radioactive isotopes to generate images of it. |
| what type of information is provided by a thyroid scan | size, shape, location, & relative activity of different parts of the thyroid gland |
| single photon emission computed tomography | SPECT; type of nuclear imaging test that produces 3D computer-reconstructed images showing perfusion through tissues & organs |
| perfusion | the flow of blood through an organ |
| SPECT scanning used for | to view the flow of blood through arteries & veins in the brain. Also useful in diagnosing blood-deprived areas of brain following stroke |
| positron emission tomography | PET, PET imaging; combines tomography w/ radionuclide tracers, usually inserted into vein, to produce enhanced images of selected body organs or areas. |
| PET scans of whole body used for | to detect cancer & to examine the effects of cancer therapy |
| PET scans of heart | used to determine blood flow to heart muscle. helps evaluate signs of coronary artery disease or to differentiate nonfunctional heart muscle from tissue that would benefit from angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery |
| PET scans of brain | evaluate patients who have memory disorders of an undetermined cause, suspected or proven brain tumors, or seizure disorders not responsive to med therapy |
| pharmacology | study of the nature, uses, & effects of drugs for medical purposes |
| pharmac | drug |
| pharmacist | licensed specialist who formulates & dispenses prescribed medications |
| ac | before meals |
| ad lib | as desired |
| amt | amount |
| bid | twice a day |
| NPO | nothing by mouth |
| pc | after meals |
| po | by mouth |
| prn | as needed |
| qh | every hour |
| qid | four times a day |
| Rx | prescription |
| sig | to be labeled accordingly |
| tid | three times a day |
| prescription drug | medication that can legally be dispensed only by a pharmacist w/ order from licensed professional such as physician or dentist |
| over-the-counter drug | OTC; medication that can be purchased w/o prescription |
| generic drug | usually named for generic structure & not protected by brand name or trademark. Ex diazepam is generic name of drug frequently used as skeletal muscle relaxant, sedative, & anti-anxiety agent |
| brand-name drug | sold under name given by drug mfg, always spelled w/ capital letter, Ex Valium is brand name for diazepam |
| @ | at |
| c with line over top | with |
| formulary | list of prescription drugs covered by specific health care plan. |
| Physician's Desk Reference | PDR; most commonly used drug info guide that is updated annually |
| addiction | compulsive, uncontrollable dependence on drug, alcohol, or other substance. Can also be habit or practice that cannot be stopped w/o causing severe emotional, mental, or physiologic reactions |
| controlled substances | addictive prescription meds & illegal drugs whose mfg, possession, & use are regulated by government |
| tolerance | when body has become accustomed to a medication after being on it for a length of time, & higher doses are required to achieve the desired effect. |
| adverse drug reaction | ADR, side effect; undesirable reaction that accompanies the principal response for which the drug was taken |
| compliance | patient's consistency & accuracy in following the regimen prescribed by a physician or other health care professional. |
| regimen relating to compliance | directions or rules |
| drug interaction | result of drugs reacting w/ each other, often in ways that are unexpected or potentially harmful. Can occur when meds taken w/ herbal remedies or when more than 1 prescription taken @ a time |
| synergism | interaction of 2 drugs taken together that enhances the effectiveness of both. |
| idiosyncratic reaction | unexpected reaction to a drug that is peculiar to the individual |
| palliative | substance that eases the pain or severity of symptoms of a disease but does not cure it. |
| palliative care | treatment that focuses on alleviating pain & relieving symptoms rather than curing the disease |
| paradoxical reaction | result of medical treatment that yields the opposite of normally expected results |
| paradoxical | not being normal or the usual kind |
| placebo | an inactive substance, such as sugar pill or liquid, that is administered only for its suggestive effects. |
| antipyretic | medication administered to prevent or reduce fever. Aspirin & acetaminophen act by lowering a raised body temp but do not affect a normal body temp when fever not present |
| pyret | fever |
| anti-inflammatory | relieves inflammation & pain w/o affecting consciousness |
| analgesic | class of drugs that relieve pain w/o affecting consciousness. aspirin, acetaminophen, & ibuprofen |
| non-narcotic analgesics | such as aspirin, are sold OTC for mild to moderate pain. Prescription pain relievers sold through pharmacy are used for moderate to severe pain. |
| narcotic analgesics | such as morphine, Demerol, and codeine, avail by prescription only to relieve severe pain. Also have sedative (calming) effect & can cause physical dependence or addiction. |
| acetaminophen | analgesic that reduces pain & fever but does not relieve inflammation. Does not have negative side effecto of NSAIDS. Basic ingredient in Tylenol |
| nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | NSAIDs are non-narcotic analgesics administered to control pain by reducing inflammation & swelling. Can attack stomach lining & thin blood |
| OTC NSAIDS | aspirin, ibuprofen |
| ibuprofen | nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine that is sold OTC under band names of Advil & Motrin. Med acts as analgesic & antipyretic |
| anticonvulsants/ antidepressants | effective as part of some chronic pain mgmt programs. |
| anticonvulsants | traditionally administered to prevent seizures such as those associated w/ epilepsy |
| antidepressants | primarily administered to prevent or relieve depression |
| pain-relieving creams | applied topically to relieve pain due to conditions such as osteoarthritis & rheumatoid arthritis. Primary active ingredient capsaicin |
| capsaicin | chemical found in chili peppers, found in pain-relieving creams. |
| transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation | TENS; method of pain control by wearing a device that delivers small electrical impulses, as needed, to nerve endings through skin |
| cutane | skin |
| transcutaneous | performed through unbroken skin |
| inhalation administration | describes vapors & gases taken in through nose or mouth & absorbed into bloodstream through lungs. |
| oral administration | medications taken by mouth to be absorbed through walls of stomach or small intestine. Can be in forms of liquids, tablets, or capsules. |
| enteric coating | meds to be released in small intestine are covered w/ this to prevent them from being absorbed in stomach |
| rectal administration | insertion of meds in rectum either in the form of suppository or a liquid |
| suppository | med in a semisolid form that is introduced into rectum. Melts @ body temp & absorbed through surrounding tissue |
| sublingual administration | placement of medication under tongue where it is allowed to dissolve slowly. B/c sublingual highly vascular, meds quickly absorbed into bloodstream |
| highly vascular | containing many blood vessels |
| topical application | liquid or ointment rubbed into skin on area to be treated |
| transdermal | medication administered from a patch that is applied to unbroken skin. Meds continuously released by patch, absorbed through skin & transmitted to bloodstream for systemic effect |
| parenteral | taken into the body or administered in manner other than through digestive tract. most common through hypodermic syringe |
| subcutaneous injection | SC; made into fatty layer just below skin |
| intradermal injection | made into middle layers of skin |
| intramuscular injection | IM; made directly into muscle tissue |
| intravenous injection | IV; made directly into a vein. |
| IV infusion | administered over period of time |
| PICC line | peripherally inserted central catheter; frequently used for a patient who will need IV therapy for more than 7 days |
| bolus | bolus infusion; single, concentrated dose of a drug usually injected into a blood vessel over short period of time |
| complementary & alternative medicine | CAM; therapies used to supplement or replace allopathic medicine |
| allopathic medicine | conventional, Western, medical practices & systems of health care |
| alternative medicines | general term for practices & systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used in place of these treatments |
| complementary medicine | general term for practices & systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used to supplement these treatments |
| integrative medicine | model of health care based on both allopathic & alternative medicine |
| holistic | a treatment approach that takes into consideration the whole body & its environment, including the mind, body, & spirit |
| wellness | general term that means actively working toward a state of being in good physical & mental health. Healthy diet, exercise, stress reduction, & avoiding risky behavior |
| Ayurvedic medicine | traditional Hindu system of medicine, emphasizing a holistic approach to preventive treatment through hygiene, exercise, herbal preparations, yoga, and treatment of illnesses w/ herbal medicines, physiotherapy, & diet |
| Traditional Chinese medicine | system of ancient Chinese medicinial treatments including acupuncture, diet, herbal therapy, meditation, physical exercise, & massage to prevent, diagnose, & treat disease. Also used in complementary medicine |
| kinesiology | study of body movements & physical activity. |
| applied kinesiology | alternative therapy that combines muscle monitoring w/ principles of Chinese medicine |
| naturopathy | aka naturopathic medicine; combo of nutrition, medicinal supplements & herbs, water therapy, homeopathy, & lifestyle modifications used to identify & treat root causes of symptoms & disease instead of surgery/ drugs |
| homeopathy | involves use of substances created from plant or mineral products diluted a thousand-fold in water or alcohol. Body can stimulate its own healing response when right trigger given in minute doses, producing symptoms similar to disease being treated |
| 3 categories of complementary medicine | mind-body therapies, hands-on therapies, & energy therapies |
| mind-body therapies | try to reduce stress & prevent negative effects on body. Used for stress reduction, pain management, lifestyle changes, & depression. Belief that emotions trigger physiological responses. |
| mind-body therapy types | biofeedback, guided imagery, hypnosis, mindfulness meditation |
| biofeedback | patient-guided treatment that teaches individuals to control muscle tension, pain, body temp, brain waves, & other bodily functions through relaxation, visualization, & other cognitive control techniques |
| guided imagery | visualization; type of treatment in which patient follows verbal prompts to envision specific, peaceful location in detail, distancing themselves from any pain or stress currently experiencing |
| hypnosis | type of therapy where patient placed in state of focused concentration & narrowed attention that makes them more susceptible to suggestions, then suggestions provided toward treatment goal |
| mindfulness meditation | focused on becoming aware of thoughts & emotions & their physiological responses, as well as accepting them & maintaining a calm, constant awareness |
| energy therapies | try to improve or maintain health by manipulating body's energy flow, or qi. Based on belief that illness is linked to blocked or insufficient energy levels |
| Qi | believed to be fundamental life energy responsible for health & vitality. |
| acupressure | traditional Chinese touch therapy involving finger pressure applied to specific areas of body to restore flow of qi |
| acupuncture | traditional Chinese medical practice using very thin acupuncture needles inserted into specific points of body to restore flow of qi |
| Qi Gong | Chinese system of movement,breathing techniques, & meditation designed to improve & enhance flow of qi |
| Reiki | Japanese technique in which the practitioner transfers healing energy to the patient by means of visualization or gentle touch |
| hands-on therapies | improve body function by physically manipulating or massaging body. Used for neck or back pain, relaxation, & increased range of motion |
| chiropractic manipulative therapy | system of mechanical spinal adjustments made by chiropractor to correct biomechanical problems in skeletal framework of body |
| osteopathic manipulative therapy | mechanical spinal adjustment used in conjunction w/ conventional medical therapies by osteopath |
| craniosacral therapy | use of gentle touch to help body release tension, stress, & trauma to correct restrictions resulting from stress on CNS |
| myofascial release | specialized soft-tissue manipulation technique used to ease pain of conditions such as fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, movement restrictions, TMJ, & carpal tunnel syndrome |
| neuromuscular therapy | NMT; form of massage that uses soft-tissue manipulation focusing on applying pressure to trigger points to treat injuries & alleviate pain |
| trigger point | particularly taut band of muscle that is tender to the touch |
| ADR | adverse drug reaction |
| bpm | beats per minute |
| BP | blood pressure |
| BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
| CBC | complete blood count |
| CT scan | computed tomography scan |
| endo | endoscopy |
| ESR | erythrocyte sedimentation rate |
| Hct | hematocrit |
| MRI | magnetic resonance imaging |
| RBC | red blood count |
| RR | respiratory rate |
| TPR | temperature, pulse, respiration |
| WBC | white blood count |
Created by:
kld0519
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