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EMR Unit 5

vocab words

Term	Definition
Absence seizures	A type of generalized seizure in which there are minimal or no movements; patient may appear to have a blank stare; also known as petit mal or non-convulsive seizures.
Acute abdomen	The sudden onset of severe abdominal pain that may be related to one of many medical conditions or a specific injury to the abdomen.
Altered mental status	A disturbance in a patient’s level of consciousness (LOC) including confusion and delirium; causes include injury, infection, poison, drug abuse and fluid
Aneurysm	An abnormal bulging of an artery due to weakness in the blood vessel; may occur in the aorta (main artery of the heart), brain, leg or other location.
Aphasia	A disorder characterized by difficulty or inability to produce or understand language, caused by injury to the areas of the brain that control language.
Aura phase	The first stage of a generalized seizure, during which the patient experiences perceptual disturbances, often visual or olfactory in nature.
Blood glucose level	The level of glucose circulating in the blood; measured using a glucometer.
Clonic phase	The third phase of a generalized seizure, during which the patient experiences the seizure itself.
Complex partial seizures	A type of partial seizure in which the patient may experience an altered mental status or be unresponsive.
Diabetes	A disease in which there are high levels of blood glucose due to defects in insulin production, insulin action or both.
Diabetic coma	A life-threatening complication of diabetes in which very high blood sugar causes the patient to become unconscious.
Diabetic emergency	A situation in which a person becomes ill because of an imbalance of insulin and sugar in the bloodstream.
Diabetic ketoacidosis	An accumulation of organic acids and ketones (waste products) in the blood; occurs when there is inadequate insulin and high blood sugar levels.
Embolism	A blockage in an artery or a vein caused by a blood clot or fragment of plaque that travels through the blood vessels until it gets stuck, preventing blood flow.
Epilepsy	A brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
Fainting	Temporary loss of consciousness; usually related to temporary insufficient blood flow to the brain; also known as syncope, “blacking out” or “passing out.”
FAST	An acronym to help remember the symptoms of stroke; stands for Face, Arm, Speech and time.
Febrile seizures	Seizure activity brought on by an excessively high fever in a young child or an infant.
Generalized tonic clonic seizures	Seizures that affect most or all of the brain; types include petit mal and grand mal seizures.
Gestational diabetes	A type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy.
Glucose	A simple sugar that is the primary source of energy for the body’s tissues.
Grand mal seizures	A type of generalized seizure; involves whole body contractions with loss of consciousness.
Hemodialysis	A common method of treating advanced kidney failure in which blood is filtered outside the body to remove wastes and extra fluids.
Hyperglycemia	A condition in which too much sugar is in the bloodstream, resulting in higher than normal BGLs; also known as high blood glucose.
Hyperkalemia	Abnormally high levels of potassium in the blood; if extremely high, can cause cardiac arrest and death.
Hypervolemia	A condition in which there is an abnormal increase of fluid in the blood.
Hypoglycemia	A condition in which too little sugar is in the bloodstream, resulting in lower than normal BGLs; also known as low blood glucose.
Hypovolemia	A condition in which there is an abnormal decrease of fluid in the blood.
Hypoxemia	A condition in which there are decreased levels of oxygen in the blood; can disrupt the body’s functioning and harm tissues; may be life threatening.
Insulin	A hormone produced by the pancreas to help glucose move into the cells; in patients with diabetes, it may not be produced at all or may not be produced in sufficient amounts.
Partial seizures	Seizures that affect only part of the brain; may be simple or complex.
Peritoneal dialysis	A method of treatment for kidney failure in which waste products and extra fluid are drawn into a solution which has been injected into the abdominal cavity and are withdrawn through a catheter.
Postictal phase	The final phase of a generalized seizure, during which the patient becomes extremely fatigued.
Seizure	A disorder in the brain’s electrical activity, sometimes marked by loss of consciousness and often by uncontrollable muscle movement; also called a convulsion.
Sepsis	A life-threatening illness in which the body is overwhelmed by its response to infection; commonly referred to as blood poisoning.
Shunt	A surgically created passage between two natural body channels, such as an artery and a vein, to allow the flow of fluid.
Simple partial seizures	Seizures in which a specific body part experiences muscle contractions; does not affect memory or awareness.
Status epilepticus	An epileptic seizure (or repeated seizures) that lasts longer than 5 minutes without any sign of slowing down; should be considered life threatening and requires prompt advanced medical care.
Stroke	A disruption of blood flow to a part of the brain, which may cause permanent damage to brain tissue.
Syncope	A term used to describe the loss of consciousness; also known as fainting.
Thrombus	A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel and remains there, slowing the flow of blood and depriving tissues of normal blood flow and oxygen.
Tonic phase	The second phase of a generalized seizure, during which the patient becomes unconscious and muscles become rigid.
Transient ischemic attack	A condition that produces stroke-like symptoms but causes no permanent damage; may be a precursor to a stroke.
Type 1 diabetes	A type of diabetes in which the pancreas does not produce insulin; formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes	A type of diabetes in which insufficient insulin is produced or the insulin is not used efficiently; formerly known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes.
Absorbed poison	A poison that enters the body through the skin.
Addiction	The compulsive need to use a substance; stopping use would cause the user to suffer mental, physical and emotional distress.
Anabolic steroid	A drug sometimes used by athletes to enhance performance and increase muscle mass; also has medical use in stimulating weight gain for people unable to gain weight naturally.
Antidote	A substance that counteracts and neutralizes the effects of a poison.
Antihistamine	A type of drug taken to treat allergic reactions.
Anti-inflammatory drug	A type of drug taken to reduce inflammation or swelling.
Cannabis products	Substances such as marijuana and hashish that are derived from the Cannabis sativa plant; can produce feelings of elation, distorted perceptions of time and space, and impaired motor coordination and judgment.
Carbon monoxide	An odorless, colorless, toxic gas produced as a byproduct of combustion.
Dependency	The desire or need to continually use a substance.
Depressant	A substance that affects the central nervous system and slows down physical and mental activity; can be used to treat anxiety, tension and high blood pressure.
Designer drugs	Potent and illegal street drugs formed from a medicinal substance whose drug composition has been modified (designed).
Drug	Any substance, other than food, intended to affect the functions of the body.
Hallucinogen	A substance that affects mood, sensation, thinking, emotion and self-awareness; alters perceptions of time and space; and produces hallucinations or delusions.
Ingested poison	A poison that is swallowed.
Inhalant	A substance, such as a medication, that a person inhales to counteract or prevent a specific condition; also a substance inhaled to produce mood-altering effects.
Inhaled poison	A poison breathed into the lungs.
Injected poison	A poison that enters the body through a bite, sting or syringe.
Narcotic	A drug derived from opium or opium-like compounds; used to reduce pain and can alter mood and behavior.
Overdose	The use of an excessive amount of a substance, resulting in adverse reactions ranging from mania (mental and physical hyperactivity) and hysteria, to coma and death.
Poison	Any substance that can cause injury, illness or death when introduced into the body, especially by chemical means.
Poison Control Center	A specialized health center that provides information on poisons and suspected poisoning emergencies.
Stimulant	A substance that affects the central nervous system and speeds up physical and mental activity.
Substance abuse	The deliberate, persistent, excessive use of a substance without regard to health concerns or accepted medical practices.
Substance misuse	The use of a substance for unintended purposes or for intended purposes but in improper amounts or doses.
Synergistic effect	The outcome created when two or more drugs are combined; the effects of each may enhance those of the other.
Tolerance	A condition in which the effects of a substance on the body decrease as a result of continued use.
Toxin	A poisonous substance produced by microorganisms that can cause certain diseases but is also capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies or antitoxins.
Toxicology	The study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical or biological agents on the body.
Withdrawal	The condition of mental and physical discomfort produced when a person stops using or abusing a substance to which the person is addicted.
Anaphylaxis	A form of distributive shock caused by an often sudden severe allergic reaction, in which air passages may swell and restrict breathing; also referred to as anaphylactic shock.
Antivenin	A substance used to counteract the poisonous effects of venom.
Arterial gas embolism	A condition in which air bubbles enter the bloodstream and subsequently travel to the brain; results from a rapid ascent from deep water, which expands air in the lungs too quickly.
Barotrauma	Injury sustained because of pressure differences between areas of the body and the surrounding environment; most commonly occurs in air travel and scuba diving.
Conduction	One of the ways the body loses or gains heat; occurs when the skin is in contact with something with a lower or higher temperature.
Convection	One of the ways the body loses or gains heat; occurs when air moves over the skin and carries away or increases heat.
Core temperature	The temperature inside the body.
Decompression sickness	A sometimes fatal disorder caused by the release of gas bubbles into body tissue; also known as “the bends"; occurs when scuba divers ascend too rapidly, without allowing sufficient time for gases to exit body tissues and be removed through exhalation.
Dehydration	Inadequate fluids in the body’s tissues.
Drowning	An event in which a victim experiences respiratory impairment due to submersion in water.
Electrolytes	Substances that are electrically conductive in solution and are essential to the regulation of nerve and muscle function and fluid balance throughout the body; include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate.
Evaporation	One of the ways the body loses heat; occurs when the body is wet and the moisture evaporates, cooling the skin.
Free diving	An extreme sport in which divers compete under water without any underwater breathing apparatus.
Frostbite	A condition in which body tissues freeze; most commonly occurs in the fingers, toes, ears and nose.
Heat cramps	A form of heat-related illness; painful involuntary muscle spasms that occur during or after physical exertion in high heat, caused by loss of electrolytes and water from perspiration
Heat exhaustion	More severe form of heat-related illness; results when fluid and electrolytes are lost through perspiration and are not replaced by other fluids; often results from strenuous work or wearing too much clothing in a hot, humid environment.
Heat index	An index that combines the air temperature and relative humidity to determine the perceived, human-felt temperature; a measure of how hot it feels.
Heat stroke	The most serious form of heat-related illness; life threatening and develops when the body’s cooling mechanisms are overwhelmed and body systems begin to fail.
Hyperthermia	Overheating of the body; includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Hypothalamus	Control center of the body’s temperature; located in the brain.
Hypothermia	The state of the body being colder than the usual core temperature, caused by either excessive loss of body heat and
Metabolism	The physical and chemical processes of converting oxygen and food into energy within the body.
Rabies	An infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals; has a high fatality rate if left untreated.
Radiation	One of the ways the body loses heat; heat radiates out of the body, especially from the head and neck.
Tetanus	An acute infectious disease caused by a bacterium that produces a powerful poison; can occur in puncture wounds, such as human and animal bites; also called lockjaw.
Anxiety disorder	A condition in which normal anxiety becomes excessive and can prevent people from functioning normally
Behavior	How people conduct themselves or respond to their environment.
Behavioral emergency	A situation in which a person exhibits abnormal behavior that is unacceptable or intolerable, for example violence to oneself or others.
Bipolar disorder	A brain disorder that causes abnormal, severe shifts in mood, energy and a person’s ability to function; the person swings from the extreme lows of depression to the highs of mania; also called manic-depressive disorder.
Child abuse	Action that results in the physical or psychological harm of a child; can be physical, sexual, verbal and
Child neglect	The most frequently reported type of abuse in which a parent or guardian fails to provide the necessary, age-appropriate care to a child; insufficient medical or emotional attention or respect given to a child.
Clinical depression	A mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time.
Elder abuse	Action that results in the physical or psychological harm of an elderly person; can be physical, sexual, verbal and
Elder neglect	A type of abuse in which a caregiver fails to provide the necessary care to an elderly person.
Hallucination	Perception of an object with no reality; occurs when a person is awake and conscious; may be visual, auditory or tactile.
Mania	An aspect of bipolar disorder characterized by elation, hyperexcitability and accelerated thoughts, speech and actions.
Panic	A symptom of an anxiety disorder, characterized by episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Paranoia	A condition characterized by feelings of persecution and exaggerated notions of perceived threat; may be part of many mental health disorders and is rarely seen in isolation.
Phobia	A type of anxiety disorder characterized by strong, irrational fears of objects or situations that are usually harmless; may trigger an anxiety or panic attack.
Rape	Non-consensual sexual intercourse often performed using force, threat or violence.
Rape-trauma syndrome	The three stages a victim typically goes through following a rape
Schizophrenia	A chronic mental illness in which the person hears voices or feels that his or her thoughts are being controlled by others; can cause hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, movement disorders and social withdrawal.
Self-mutilation	Self-injury; deliberate harm to one’s own body used as an unhealthy coping mechanism to deal with overwhelming negative emotions.
Sexual assault	Any form of sexualized contact with another person without consent and performed using force, coercion or threat.
Suicide	An intentional act to end one’s own life, usually as a result of feeling there are no other options available to resolve one’s problems.

Created by: mkliewer

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