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MedicalGlossary

MCC Paramedic Medical Glossary Terms

Question	Answer
a	Abbreviation meaning before.
abdomen	Stomach
abdominal
abduct	To draw away from.
abduction	Move away from.
abnormality	Being abnormal or malformed.
abortion	The premature expulsion of the embryo or fetus.
criminal abortion	An illegal abortion.
Incomplete abortion	Some products of conception remain.
inevitable abortion	No possibility pregnancy will go term.
missed abortion	Fetus died at less than 20 weeks and is retained in the uterus.
spontaneous abortion	An abortion occurring naturally.
therapeutic abortion	Abortion induced in medical setting.
threatened abortion	Pregnancy may abort, or go full term.
abrasion	Scraping off of some of the epidermis.
abruptio placenta	Premature separation of placenta from uterine wall, with massive hemorrhage, during the third trimester.
abscess	A collection of pus in a sac.
absolute refractory period	Early phase of cardiac repolarization, wherein the heart muscle cannot be stimulated to depolarize
absorption	Passage of a substance thru a membrane into blood.
AC	Abbreviation for alternating current.
ac	Abbreviation meaning "before meals."
acetabulum	Cavity in which head of femur rotates.
acetone breath	Sweet breath found in diabetic ketoacidosis.
acetylcholine	Chemical mediator of the parasympathetic nervous system.
acid	A solution with a pH less than 7.0
acidosis	Acid base balance of the body characterized by a pH less than 7.35.
acquired immunodeficency syndrome (AIDS)	A viral illness characterized by severe impairment of the body's immune defense system.
activated charcoal	A substance used to absorb ingested poisons.
acute	Having rapid onset, severe symptoms, and short duration.
acute abdomen	Irritation of the peritoneal lining.
acute myocardial infarction (AMI)	Death (necrosis) of myocardial tissue caused by cardiac ischemia.
acute respiratory insufficiency	Any condition in which breathing is inadequate to supply oxygen to or remove carbon dioxide from body tissues.
addiction	compulsive, physical dependence fo subtance.
adduction	Movement toward the median line of the body.
ad lib	An abbreviation meaning "as desired."
Adrenalin	A trade name for epinephrine.
adrenals	Small pair of glands situated on the kidneys.
adrenergic	Referring to the sympathetic nervous system. It derives from the word Adrenalin (by the kidney).
adsorption	Adherence of a substance onto surface of another.
afebrile	Without fever
afterbirth	Placenta.
agglutination	Clumping together of red blood cells.
agonal	Pertaining to the period of dying.
air embolism	An air bubble introduced into the circulation.
air hunger	Another term for dyspnea.
alcoholic	Pertaining to or containing alcohol; one addicted to alcohol.
alimentary tract	The digestive tract as a whole.
alkaline	Having a pH greater than 7.0; in physiology, having a pH greater than 7.35.
alkalosis	An abnormal condition of acid base balance where the body has too much alkaine.
allergen	Substance that produces allergic symptoms in patients.
allergy	Susceptibility to substance that causes adverse symptoms.
alopecia	Baldness.
alpha particle	Positively charged subatomic particle.
alpha receptor	A center located in the walls of small arteries veins that, when stimulated by alpha (sympathetic) drugs, the vessels to constrict.
alpha stimulator	Drug or hormone that activates alpha receptors, e.g., norepinephrine.
alternating current (AC)	An electric current whose direction at regular intervals.
alveoli	The saccular units at the end of the bronchioles.
amenorrhea	Absence of menstruation.
AMI	An abbreviation for acute myocardial infarction.
aminophylline	Drug used to relax smooth muscle in air passages.
amnesia	Loss of memory.
amniotic fluid	Fluid surrounding the fetus in the uterus.
amniotic sac	Sac that holds the fetus suspended in amniotic. Bag of waters.
amobarbital	A barbiturate sedative hypnotic drug.
amplitude	Height, usually of an ECG wave or complex.
ampule	A sealed glass container of sterile medication.
amputation	Severing of a part of the body.
analgesic	An agent that relieves pain.
anaphylactic shock	An exaggerated allergic reaction with severe bronchospasm and vascular collapse.
anasarca	Severe, generalized body edema.
anastomosis	Joining together of two tubelike structures, such as intestines or blood vessels.
anatomic	Pertaining to anatomy or the structure of an organism.
anatomy	The study of body structure.
anemia	State where the red blood cells or hemoglobin are deficient.
anesthesia	Loss of sensation abolishment of pain.
aneurysm	A sac or bulge resulting from the weakening of the of a blood vessel or ventricle.
angina	Any disease marked by attacks of choking or suffocation.
angina pectoris	Sudden pain from myocardial ischemia.
stable angina	Angina pectoris characterized by periodic with a predictable pattern.
unstable angina (preinfarction angina)	Angina pectoris by a changing, unpredictable pattern of pain, which may signal an impending acute myocardial infarction.
Angiocath	A teflon catheter inserted over a needle.
angiogram	Radiographic depiction of blood vessels.
angioneurotic edema	Allergy caused hives or swelling of various tissues.
angle of Louis	Prominence on the sternum that lies opposite the intercostal space.
anion	A negatively charged ion.
anisocoria	Inequality of the size of the pupils.
anomaly	Any feature that departs significantly from the normal.
anorexia	Lack of appetite.
anoxia	Lack of oxygen in the tissues.
antagonism	Opposition between the effects of medications.
ante	A prefix meaning "before."
antecubital	Situated in front of the forearm.
antenatal	Prior to birth.
antepartum	Prior to delivery.
anterior	Situated in front of or in the forward part of.
antiarrhythmic drugs	Drugs given to prevent or terminate cardiac dysrhythmias.
antibiotic	Agent that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria.
antibody	Protein that destroys or inactivates the antigen.
anticoagulant	Substance that prevents the coagulation of blood.
antidote	Used to counteract the effects of a drug or a poison.
antigen	Agent that stimulates the formation of specific protective proteins called antibodies.
antihypertensive agents	Drugs used to lower blood pressure,
antipyretic	A drug that reduces fever.
antiseptic	A preparation that prevents the growth of bacteria.
antiserum	A serum that contains antibodies against a specific producing agent.
anus	Outlet of the rectum.
anxiety	A feeling of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear.
aorta	Largest artery , originating from the left ventricle.
aortic arch	Portion of the aorta that curves and begins to descend.
apathy	Lack of feeling or interest.
apex of the heart	The caudal end of the ventricles.
Apgar score	A method of assessing the newborn.
aphasia	Defect in speaking or comprehending in normal fashion.
motor aphasia	Loss of speech or some component thereof.
sensory aphasia	The loss of comprehension.
aphonia	Loss of voice.
apical	Pertaining to or located at the apex of the heart.
apical pulse	Pulse obtained by auscultating over the apical portion of the heart.
apnea	Absence of breathing.
apothecary system	A system of weights and liquid measures utilizing pounds, pints, quarts, fluid ounces, fluidrams, minims, ounces, drams, and grains.
appendicitis	Inflammation of the appendix.
appendix	Wormlike structure attached to the cecum, in the right quadrant of the abdomen.
aqueous humor	The fluid in the anterior chamber of the eye.
arachnoid	Middle meningeal membrane.
arrest	A stoppage, usually referring to pulse or respiration.
arrhythmia	A disturbance in the normal rhythm of the heart.
arterial blood	Oxygenated blood.
arteriole	A small blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood.
arteriosclerosis	Pathological condition in which the arterial walls become thickened and inelastic.
artery	Blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.
arthalgia	Pain in one or more joints.
arthritis	An inflammatory disease of the joints.
articulation	A place where two bones meet to form a joint.
artifact	An artificial product; noise or interference in an ECG
ascending aorta	Portion of the aorta that rises out of heart.
ascites	Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
asepsis	Technique of preventing bacterial contamination of a wound or instrument.
asphyxia	Suffocation; a condition characterized by hypercarbia hypoxemia.
aspirate	To inhale foreign material into the lungs; to remove by suction.
asthma	A condition characterized by dyspnea, bronchoconstriction, mucus plugs, and wheezing.
asymptomatic	Showing no symptoms.
asystole	Absent ventricular contractions; "straight line ECG."
ataxia	Inability to coordinate the muscles; staggering gait.
atelectasis	A collapse of the alveolar air spaces of the lungs.
atherosclerosis	A common type of arteriosclerosis affecting the coronary and cerebral arteries.
atlas	The first cervical vertebra.
atrial arrhythmia	Arrhythmia arising in the SA node or atrial tissue.
atrial depolarization	Electric process causing atrial contraction, represented on the ECG by the P wave.
atrial fibrillation	A dysrhythmia characterized by discharge of multiple atrial ectopic foci and an irregularly irregular ventricular rhythm.
atrial flutter	A dysrhythmia characterized by the rapid discharge of an atrial ectopic focus, with varying degrees of AV block.
atrial repolarization	The electric process of recharging depolarized atrial muscle, represented by the T wave.
atrial systole	Atrial contraction precedeing ventricular contraction.
atrioventricular block (AV block)	Condition where passage of impulses from the atrium through the AV junction is hindered or prevented altogether.
atrioventricular dissociation (AV dissociation)	Condition where atria and ventricles contract independently; complete heart block.
atrioventricular junction (AV junction)	Portion of electric conduction system of the heart located in the interventricular septum that conducts the impulse from the atria to the bundle of His.
atrioventricular node (AV node)	Structure located in the atrioventricular junction that slows conduction through the AV junction.
atrium	A thin walled, upper chembers of the heart.
atrophy	A wasting away of tissue.
atropine	A parasympathetic blocking agent, increases heart rate
auditory nerve	The eighth cranial nerve, which mediates hearing and body balance.
aura	A sensation of impending illness. Term used in connection with epileptic attack.
auricle	An old term formerly used for atrium.
auscultation	The technique of listening for and interpreting sounds that occur within the body, usually with a stethoscope.
automaticity	The spontaneous initiation of depolarizing electric impulses by pacemaker sites within the electric conduction system of the heart.
autonomic nervous system	Nervous system that controls involuntary body functions. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
autotransfusion	Redirecting the patient's own blood from one part of the body to another.
AV	An abbreviation for atrioventricular.
avulsion	Injury that leaves a piece of tissue either partially or completely torn away from the body.
axilla	Armpit.
Axis	Second cervical vertebra.
Babinski reflex	A reflex response of the big toe seen in patients with injury to the brain. When the sole of the foot is struck with a sharp object, the big toe turns upward, instead of in the normal downward direction.
ball and socket joint	A type of joint found in the hip and shoulder.
bandage	A material used to hold a dressing in place.
barbiturate	A class of drugs that produce a calming, sedative effect
base	A compound that dissociates to form hydroxyl ions (OH ); a solution having a pH greater than 7.0
basic life support	The ABC's without adjunctive equipment.
Battle's sign	A bluish discoloration over the tip of the mastoid bone behind the ear, signifying basilar skull fracture.
Benadryl	A trade name for diphenhydramine, an antihistamine drug.
bends	Cramps in the abdomen and limbs caused by bubbles of gas in the blood, associated with rapid ascent from deep water in diving.
benign	Noncancerous; nonmalignant; not dangerous.
Benzedrine	A trade name for preparations of amphetamine.
beta particle	Negatively charged subatomic particle, with slightly greater penetrating ability than an alpha particle.
beta receptor	A nerve center located in the myocardium, blood vessels, or bronchi that, when stimulated, causes an increase in cardiac rate and contractile force, vasodilation, and bronchodilation.
beta stimulator	Any agent that activates the beta receptors of the body, e.g., isoproterenol.
bevel	The slanting edge of the point of a hollow needle.
bicarbonate	Any salt having two equivalents of carbonic acid to one of any basic substance; often used as an abbreviated name for sodium bicarbonate.
biceps	The large muscle of the front part of the upper arm, which bends the forearm at the elbow.
bid	An abbreviation meaning "twice a day."
bifurcation	Division into two branches.
bigeminy	A dysrhythmia in which every other beat is a premature contraction.
bile	The fluid secreted by; the liver, concentrated and stored in the gallbladder, and discharged into the intestine, where it aids in the digestion of fats.
biologic death	See death.
biopsy	The removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic.
biotelemetry	Transmission of physiologic data, e.g., an ECG, from the patient to a distant point of reception.
bivalent	Having two charges, e.g., Ca++ (calcium ion)
bladder	An organ of the urinary system, located in the pelvis just behind the pubic bone, that stores urine produced by the kidneys.
blind panic	The type of reaction seen in situations of mass casualties in which an individual's judgment is severely impaired.
blocker	A drug that counteracts or inhibits the action of another drug or agent. For example, atropine is a parasympathetic blocker.
blood pressure (BP)	The pressure exerted by the pulsatile flow of blood against the arterial walls.
diastolic blood pressure	Blood pressure measured during the ventricular relaxation (diastole).
systolic blood pressure	Blood pressure measured during ventricular contraction (systole).
blood type	One of the several groups into which human blood is divided according to its antigens.
blood volume	The total amount of blood in the heart and blood vessels, representing about 8 to 9 percent of the body weight.
bloody show	Mucus and blood passed from the vagina when labor begins.
bolus	A single, large loading dose of a drug that provides an initially higher therapeutic blood level.
BP	An abbreviation for blood pressure.
bradycardia	A slow heart rate, less than 60 per minute.
brain	The organ located in the skull that controls all body functions and is the seat of consciousness.
breech birth	A delivery in which the presenting part is the buttocks or foot.
bronchiole	Small subdivision of a bronchus, or airway.
bronchiolitis	A condition seen in children under 2 years old, characterized by dyspnea and wheezing.
bronchitis	Inflammation of the bronchi.
bronchoconstriction	Narrowing of the bronchial tubes.
bronchodilation	Widening of the bronchial tubes.
bronchodilator	An agent that causes dilation of the bronchi.
bronchospasm	Severe constriction of the bronchial tree.
bronchus	One of the main branches of the trachea carrying air into various parts of the lung.
bruise	An injury that does not break the skin but causes rupture of small, underlying blood vessels with resulting tissue discoloration; a contusion.
buccal	Pertaining to the cheek.
buffer	A substance in a fluid that tends to minimize changes in pH that would otherwise result from the addition of acid or base to the fluid.
bundle branch block	A disturbance in electric conduction through the right or left bundle branch from the bundle of His.
bundle branches	The portion of the electric conduction system in the ventricles that conducts the depolarizing impulse from the bundle of His to the Purkinje network in the myocardium. They are subdivided into a right bundle branch and a left bundle branch.
bundle of His	The portion of the electric conduction system in the interventricular septum that conducts the depolarizing impulse from the atrioventricular junction to the right and left bundle branches.
burn	An injury caused by extremes of temperature, electric current, or certain chemicals.
first degree burn	A burn affecting only the outer skin layers.
second degree burn	A burn penetrating beneath the superficial skin layers, producing edema and blistering.
third degree burn	A full thickness burn, involving all layers of the skin and underlying tissue as well, having a charred or white, leathery appearance.
cachexia	Severe malnutrition and poor health as a result of disease or lack of nourishment.
cafe coronary	Choking incident, so named because its suddenness may lead observers to mistake it for a heart attack.
calcium	A bivalent cation required for proper functioning of heart muscle and normal bone metabolism.
cancer	A growth in any tissue that has the power to invade other tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
cannula	A tube for insertion into a blood vessel.
capillary	An extremely narrow blood vessel, composed of a single layer of cells through which oxygen and nutritive material pass to the tissues. ;Capillaries form a network between arterioles and venules.
capsule	A cylinder gelatin container enclosing a dose of medication, usually in powdered form.
carbohydrate	An element of food containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, e.g., sugar or starch.
carbon dioxide (CO2)	An end product of carbohydrate metabolism, eliminated from the body by respiration.
carbon monoxide (CO)	Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by incomplete combustion of organic materials.
carboxyhemoglobin	Hemoglobin that is combined with carbon monoxide instead of oxygen.
cardiac	Pertaining to the heart; sometimes used to refer to a person who has heart disease.
cardiac arrest	The sudden and unexpected cessation of adequate cardiac output.
cardiac asthma	Left heart failure and pulmonary edema with wheezing respirations.
cardiac cycle	The period from one cardiac contraction to the next. Each cardiac cycle includes ventricular contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole).
cardiac output	The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated by multiplying the stroke volume times the heart rate per minute.
cardiac rupture	A life threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction that can involve the papillary muscle, interventricular septum, or myocardium.
cardiac standstill	Asystole; absence of cardiac contractions.
cardiac tamponade	Embarrassment of cardiac contraction, failing cardiac output, and shock, caused by the accumulation of fluid or blood in the pericardium.
cardiac work	The energy consumed by the heart in maintaining cardiac output. Cardiac work is increased by increases in heart rate or peripheral vascular resistance.
cardiogenic	Of cardiac origin.
cardiogenic shock	A serious complication of acute myocardial infarction in which ventricular damage is so extensive that the heart is unable to maintain adequate output to vital organs.
cardiopulmonary arrest	Cessation of cardiac and respiratory activity.
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)	Artificial ventilation and external chest compression.
cardiotonic drugs	Drugs that increase the rate and force of myocardial contractions.
cardiovascular	Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.
cardiovascular collapse	Failure of the heart and blood vessels; shock.
cardioversion	The use of synchronized direct current (DC) electric shock to convert tachyarrhythmias (e.g., atrial flutter) to normal sinus rhythm.
carina	The point at which the trachea bifurcates into the right and left main bronchi.
carotid	One of the main arteries of the neck supplying blood to the head.
carotid sinus	A dilated area in the internal carotid artery, usually found just above the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, containing very sensitive nerve endings that participate in regulation of heart rate and blood pressure. Massage of this area can
carotid sinus massage (CSM)	The use of pressure over the carotid sinus to convert certain supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, especially paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, to normal sinus rhythm.
carpals	The eight small bones of the wrist.
carpopedal spasm	Contorted position of the hand in which the fingers flex in a claw like attitude and the thumb curls toward the palm; may be caused by hyperventilation.
cartilage	A tough, elastic substance that covers opposable of movable joints and also forms parts of the skeleton.
cataract	Opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye or its capsule, causing impaired vision and eventually blindness.
catecholamine	A substance, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, that acts on receptors of the sympathetic nervous system in the heart and small peripheral blood vessels to increase cardiac output and blood pressure.
catheter	A tube used for withdrawing fluid from various structures of the body or for irrigating hollow organs, such as the bladder.
catheter embolism	An accidental loss of a catheter fragment in a vein from shearing of an indwelling intravenous catheter
cation	A positively charged ion, e.g., Na+ (sodium ion).
caudad	Toward the foot end of the body.
cc	An abbreviation for cubic centimeter.
cecum	The first portion of the large intestine into which the small intestine empties. The vermiform appendix is attached to it.
central nervous system (CNS)	The brain and spinal cord.
central neurogenic hyperventilation	An abnormal pattern of breathing seen in severe illness and injury involving the brain, characterized by marked tachypnea and hyperpnea.
cephalic	Pertaining to the head.
cerebellum	The portion of the brain, located behind and below the cerebrum, whose general function is coordination of movement.
cerebral	Relating to the brain.
cerebral hemorrhage	Bleeding into the cerebrum. This is one form of stroke or cerebrovascular accident.
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)	The fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord.
cerebrovascular accident (CVA)	The sudden cessation of circulation to a region of the brain, caused by thrombus, embolism, or hemorrhage. It is sometimes called stroke.
cerebrum	The portion of the brain that controls higher functions, such as memory, perception, thought, and judgment.
cervical	Pertaining to the neck.
cervix	The lower portion, or neck, of the uterus.
cesarean section	The delivery of a baby by an operation in an opening is made directly into the uterus through an abdominal incision.
chemotherapy	The treatment of a disease by drugs.
Cheyne Stokes respiration	An abnormal breathing pattern characterized by rhythmic waxing and waning of the depth of respiration, with regularly occurring periods of apnea. It is seen in association with central nervous system dysfunction.
CHF	An abbreviation for congestive heart failure.
chief complaint	The problem for which a patient seeks help, stated in a word or short phrase.
chin lift	Technique of opening the airway by supporting the chin in a forward position.
chloride	A monovalent anion important in cellular function.
cholesterol	A chemical found in various foods (e.g., animal tissue, egg yolks, certain oils and fats) that, when ingested in excess, is believed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
cholinergic	Referring to the parasympathetic nervous system. It is derived from the word acetycholine.
chordae tendineae	The muscles that attach to the free edges of the three leaflets, or cusps, of the tricuspid valve and to the papillary muscles. The chordae are fibrous strands, shaped like umbrella stays.
chronic	Of long duration.
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)	A term comprising chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and sometimes asthma illnesses that cause obstructive problems in the lower airways.
chronotropic	Affecting the time or rate, applied especially to nerves whose stimulation or to agents whose administration affects the rate of contraction of the heart.
circulatory	Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.
cirrhosis	Chronic progressive fibrosis of the liver, often associated with heavy alcohol ingestion.
clavicle	The collar bone, attached at right angles to the uppermost part of the sternum.
clonic	Characterized by rapid contraction and relaxation of a muscle or group of muscles.
clot	A lump or solid coagulum.
CNS	An abbreviation for central nervous system.
CO2	The chemical symbol for carbon dioxide.
coagulation	The process of changing from a liquid to a thickened or solid state; the formation of a clot.
coccyx	The lowest part of the spine, composed of four small, fused bones. It is also called the tail bone.
colic	Crampy pain associated with obstruction of a hollow organ.
colitis	An inflammation of the colon.
collateral circulation	A mesh of arteries and capillaries that furnish blood to a segment of tissue whose original arterial supply has been obstructed.
colloid	An intravenous solution containing protein, e.g., albumin.
colon	The large intestine.
colostomy	The establishment of an opening between the colon and the surface of the body for the purpose of providing drainage of the bowel.
coma	A state of unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be aroused, even by powerful stimulation.
comatose	Affected with coma.
communicable disease	A disease that is readily transmissible from one person to another.
compensatory pause	The R R interval between a premature beat and the following normal beat when this interval is longer than the R R interval between the premature beat and the preceding normal beat. If the pause is fully compensatory, the R R interval from the prema
complete heart block	Third degree heart block; complete absence of electric conduction from the atria to the ventricles. The block can occur anywhere in the conduction system, from the AV junction, AV node, or bundle of His to the bundle branches. The ventricles ar
compress	A folded cloth or pad used for applying pressure to stop hemorrhage or as a wet dressing.
concussion	A violent jar or shock; the injury that results from a violent jar or shock.
conduction	Transfer of heat to a liquid or solid object.
conductivity	The potential of the electric conduction system of the heart to transmit electric impulses.
congenital	Any condition that exists at or was acquired before birth.
congestive heart failure (CHF)	Failure of adequate ventricular function with resulting backup of blood or fluid into the lungs or body tissues.
conjunctiva	The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers exposed surfaces of the eyeball. Normally pink in color, it may be pale in anemia or red in infection (conjunctivitis).
conscious	Capable of responding to sensory stimuli and having subjective experiences.
consent	Agreement by the patient to accept a medical intervention.
constrict	To make smaller or narrower, e.g., constricted pupils.
constricting band	A band used to restrict the venous flow of blood back to the heart. It is usually used in treating snakebites on the extremities.
constriction	Narrowing, as in the term vasoconstriction, which is a narrowing of the internal diameter of the blood vessels.
contagious	Describing a disease that is readily transmissible from one person to another.
contaminated	Infected with bacteria, such as a wound or other surface; may also refer to polluted water, foods, or drugs.
contractility	The ability of a muscle to contract when depolarized by an electric impulse.
contraction	A shortening of a part, such as a muscle.
contraindication	A situation that prohibits the use of a drug.
contralateral	On the opposite side.
contusion	A bruise; an injury that causes a hemorrhage into or beneath the skin but does not break the skin.
convection	Mechanism by which body heat is picked up and carried away by moving air currents.
conversion hysteria	A condition in which a person unconsciously translates an emotional conflict into a physical symptom, such as paralysis.
convulsion	A violent, involuntary contraction or series of contractions of the voluntary muscles; a "fit"; a seizure.
COPD	An abbreviation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
cornea	The transparent structure covering the pupil.
coronary	A term applied to the blood vessels of the heart that supply blood to its walls; also used to refer to an acute myocardial infarction.
coronary artery disease	A pathologic process caused by atherosclerosis that leads to progressive narrowing and eventual obstruction of the coronary arteries.
coronary occlusion	An obstruction in the coronary artery that hinders or prevents the flow of blood to some portion of the heart muscle. The term is used synonymously with heart attack.
corticosteroid	One of several drugs used to counteract inflammation whose structure is similar to that of naturally occurring steroid hormones.
costal	Pertaining to the ribs.
costochondral	Pertaining to a rib and the cartilage by which it is attached to the sternum.
Coumadin	A trade name for preparations of sodium warfarin, an anticoagulant drug.
CPR	An abbreviation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
craniad	Toward the head end of the body.
cranial	Pertaining to the skull.
cranium	The skull.
cravat	A special type of bandage made from a large, triangular piece of cloth.
crepitus	A grating sound heard and a sensation felt when the fractured ends of a bone rub together.
crib death	Sudden infant death syndrome, of unknown cause.
cricothyroid membrane	The membrane between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages of the larynx.
cricothyrotomy	The puncture of the cricothyroid membrane for the purpose of establishing an emergency airway in cases of upper airway obstruction.
crisis	A critical turning point.
croup	A common disease of childhood characterized by spasm of the larynx and resulting upper airway obstruction.
crowning	The stage of birth when the presenting part of the baby is visible at the vaginal orifice.
crystalloid	An intravenous solution that does not contain protein, e.g., 5% dextrose in water (D5/W), normal saline, Ringer's solution.
CSF	An abbreviation for cerebrospinal fluid.
CSM	An abbreviation for carotid sinus massage.
cumulative action	Action of increased intensity evidenced after several doses of a drug.
cutaneous	pertaining to the skin.
cutdown	Surgical exposure of a vein to insert a cannula for administration of intravenous fluids.
CVA	An abbreviation for cerebrovascular accident.
cyanosis	Blueness of the skin caused by large quantities of reduced hemoglobin in the blood. It is a sign of hypoxemia.
Darvon	A trade name for propoxyphene, a narcotic analgesic.
DC	An abbreviation for direct current.
dead space	The portion of the tidal volume that does not reach the alveoli and thus does not participate in gas exchange.
death, biologic	Irreversible brain damage, usually occurring after 3 to 10 minutes of cardiac arrest.
death, clinical	The moment the pulse and blood pressure are absent. Clinical death occurs immediately after the onset of cardiac arrest.
decerebrate posture	A posture assumed by patients with severe brain dysfunction, characterized by extension and internal rotation of the arms and extension of the legs.
decompensation	The failure of an organ system; most often used to indicate the failure of the heart, as the result of disease, to maintain sufficient circulation of blood to meet the demands of the body.
decorticate posture	A posture assumed by patients with severe brain dysfunction, characterized by extension of the legs and flexion of the arms.
decimal	A unit of 10; a system based on 10s.
decubitus ulcer	A bedsore; an eroded wound acquired by sustained pressure on a single area of skin.
defibrillation	The use of unsynchronized direct current (DC) electric shock to terminate ventricular fibrillation.
defibrillator	A device that delivers direct current (DC) electric shock for the purpose of terminating ventricular fibrillation.
definitive care	The D of the ABC D sequence in advanced life support. Definitive care includes ECG monitoring, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac dysrhythmias, defibrillation, and administration of intravenous fluids and drugs.
deformity	An unusual alteration in the shape of a part or organ.
dehydration	The condition that results from excessive loss of body water.
delirium	A disturbed mental condition, usually resulting from fever, injury, or intoxication.
delirium tremens (DTs)
delivery	The expulsion or extraction of the child at birth.
delusion	A belief or feeling that has no basis in fact, seen in psychosis.
Demerol	A trade name for meperidine, a narcotic analgesic.
denial	The psychic defense mechanism of dealing with unwanted feelings or information by ignoring them. It is seen, for example, in the patient who dismisses his chest pain as "just a little indigestion.l"
dependency	The condition of leaning on or requiring support from another.
depolarization	The process of discharging resting cardiac muscle fibers by an electric impulse that causes them to contract.
depolarization wave	The electric movement produced by the progressive depolarization from the atria through the ventricles and recorded on the ECG as the P wave (atrial depolarization) and QRS complex (ventricular depolarization).
depressant	A drug that lessens the activity of the body or any of its organs.
depression	Sadness, dejection, a decrease of functional activity.
dermis	The inner layer of skin, containing hair follicle roots, glands, blood vessels, and nerves.
dextrose	A preparation obtained by hydrolysis of starch, used as an intravenous nutrient.
diabetes mellitus	A systemic disease affecting many organs, including the pancreas, whose failure to secrete insulin causes an inability to metabolize carbohydrate and consequent elevations in blood sugar.
diabetic ketoacidosis	A condition resulting from uncontrolled diabetes, characterized by excessive thirst, hunger, urination, vomiting, and sometimes coma, with the production of ketones in metabolism as well as an excess of organic acids.
diagnosis	Distinguishing one disease from another; the determination of the nature of a disease.
diaphoresis	Profuse perspiration.
diaphragm	A large skeletal muscle that is a major component in the act of respiration and that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.
diaphysis	The shaft of a long bone.
diarrhea	An increased frequency of defecation with discharge of watery or loose stools.
diastole	The period of ventricular relaxation during which the ventricles passively fill with blood.
diastolic blood pressure	The blood pressure obtained during ventricular diastole; the lowest arterial pressure between two systolic peaks.
diazepam	A drug used in the treatment of seizures (trade name
diffusion	The passage of fluid and chemicals through a membrane.
digitalis	A drug used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and certain atrial dysrhythmias.
digitalization	The process of giving digitalis to the point where the maximum therapeutic effects are achieved without untoward side effects.
digitoxicity	Toxicity from digitalis, which may be manifested by anorexia, nausea, vomiting, yellow vision, or cardiac dysrhythmias.
dilation	The condition of being dilated or stretched beyond normal dimensions.
Dilaudid	A trade name for dihydromorphinone, a narcotic analgesic.
diplopia	Double vision.
direct current (DC)	An electric current that flows at a steady rate in a single direction.
direct current (DC) electric shock	An electric shock delivered with a defibrillator to the heart directly or through the chest wall to terminate certain dysrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, or to convert various tachyarrhythmias.
disc	The cartilaginous material that separates each of the vertebrae.
dislocation	The disruption of the normal anatomy of a joint.
disorganization	A disturbed mental state characterized by incoherence.
disorientation	A disturbed mental state characterized by confusion regarding one's relationship to either physical surroundings, time, or person.
dissecting aneurysm	An aneurysm, or bulge, formed by the separation of the layers of the arterial wall.
distal	Farther from a point of reference. Generally the point of reference is the heart.
distention	The state of being inflated or enlarged, particularly of the abdomen.
diuresis	The secretion of large amounts of urine by the kidney.
diuretic	A drug used to promote elimination of excess extracellular fluid by increasing the renal secretion of urine. Diuretics are often used in the treatment of congestive heart failure.
DOA	Abbreviation for dead on arrival.
doll's eyes	The normal phenomenon in which the eyes move in the direction opposite to that in which the head is turned.
dominant pacemaker	The sinoatrial node. Other pacemakers are normally secondary.
dorsal	Referring to the back or posterior side of the body or an organ.
dressing	A protective covering for a wound, used to stop bleeding and to prevent contamination of the wound.
duodenum	The name given to the first 11 inches of the small intestine.
duplex	A radio system employing more than one frequency.
dura mater	The tough membrane that covers the brain.
duty to act	Legal obligation of public and certain other ambulance services to respond to a call for help in their jurisdiction.
dying heart	A heart that contracts weakly and ineffectively and produces an ECG showing marked broadening of the QRS complexes.
dysarthria	Interference with proper articulation in speech.
dysconjugate gaze	A gaze in which the two eyes are not aligned but instead stare in different directions.
dysfunction	Lack of function; abnormal function.
dysmenorrhea	Pain or cramps during menstruation.
dysphagia	Interference with the act of swallowing; pain or difficulty in swallowing.
dyspnea	The sensation of difficulty in breathing, with resultant rapid, shallow respirations.
dysrhythmia	A disturbance in cardiac rhythm.
eardrum	A flexible structure stretched across the far end of the ear canal, whose vibrations conduct sound to the middle ear.
ECC	An abbreviation for external chest compressions.
ecchymosis	An extravasation of blood under the skin causing a "black and blue mark."
ECF	An abbreviation for extracellular fluid.
ECG	An abbreviation for electrocardiogram.
eclampsia	A toxic condition that may occur during pregnancy, characterized by hypertension, edema, proteinuria, and seizures; also called toxemia of pregnancy.
ectomy	A suffix meaning "surgical removal" (e.g., appendectomy).
ectopic	Located away from normal position, as in ectopic pregnancy or ectopic focus.
ectopic focus	A pacemaker site located in some part of the electric conduction system other than the sinoatrial node.
ectopic pregnancy	A pregnancy in which the fetus is implanted elsewhere than in the uterus, e.g., in the fallopian tube or in the abdominal cavity.
edema	The condition in which excess fluid accumulates in body tissue, manifested by swelling.
EEG	An abbreviation for electroencephalograph.
EENT	An abbreviation for eye, ear, nose, and throat.
effusion	The leakage of fluid from tissues into a cavity, such as into the pleural cavity.
electric conduction system	The specialized cardiac tissue that initiates and conducts electric impulses. The system includes the SA node, internodal atrial conduction pathways, AV junction, AV node, bundle of His, and the Purkinje network.
electric instability	The condition in which there are ectopic foci in the ventricles capable of producing life threatening dysrhythmias.
electrocardiogram (ECG)	A graphic display of the electric activity produced by depolarization and repolarization of the atria and ventricles.
electrocardiograph	An instrument that records electric currents produced by the heart.
electrode	A probe used to sense electric activity.
electroencephalogram	A graph of brain waves.
electrolyte	A substance whose molecules dissociate into charged components (ions) when placed in water.
electrolyte imbalance	Abnormal concentrations of serum electrolytes caused by excessive intake or loss.
electromechanical dissociation	The condition in which ECG complexes are present without effective cardiac contractions.
elixir	A syrup with alcohol and flavoring added, e.g., terpin hydrate elixir, a cough medication.
emaciation	Excessive leanness, a wasted condition of the body.
embolism	A mass (embolus, sing.; emboli, pl.) of solid, liquid, or gaseous material that is carried in the circulation and may lead to occlusion of blood vessels, with resultant infarction and necrosis of tissue supplied by those vessels.
embryo	The human fetus during the first 8 weeks after conception.
emesis	Vomiting.
emetic	A medication that produces vomiting, e.g., syrup of ipecac.
emphysema	Infiltration of any tissue by air or gas; a chronic pulmonary disease caused by distention of the alveoli and destructive changes in the lung parenchyma.
emulsion	A preparation of one liquid(usually an oil) distributed in small globules in another liquid (usually water) used as a lubricant.
encephalitis	inflammation of the brain.
endocardium	The thin membrane lining the inside of the heart.
endothelium	The thin, inner lining of blood vessels.
endotracheal	Within or through the trachea.
endotracheal intubation	The insertion of a tube into the trachea through the mouth or nose to establish a patent airway.
enteritis	Inflammation of the small intestine.
envenomation	Process by which a venom is injected into a wound.
enzyme	A protein that acts as an organic catalyst. When myocardial tissue is damaged, enzymes from this tissue are released into the circulation, and measurement of the blood levels of these enzymes provides evidence for acute myocardial infarction.
EOA	An abbreviation for esophageal obturator airway.
epicardium	The thin membrane lining the outside of the heart.
epidemic	Occurrence of a disease in many people, over a large area.
epidermis	The outermost layer of the skin.
epidural	Outside or above the dura mater, the heavy sheath that covers the brain.
epigastrium	The upper middle region of the abdomen, within the sternal angle.
epiglottis	A thin structure, located behind the root of the tongue, that shields that entrance of the larynx during swallowing, thus preventing the aspiration of food into the trachea.
epiglottitis	A common illness of childhood, characterized by swelling of the epiglottis, high fever, and pain on swallowing. Complete airway obstruction may result with alarming rapidity.
epilepsy	A disease characterized by seizures.
epinephrine	Hormone and drug that has powerful beta stimulating properties, used in the treatment of asthma, anaphylaxis, asystole, and fine ventricular fibrillation (trade name
epiphysis	The end of a long bone.
epistaxis	Nosebleed.
epithelium	The layer of cells covering the surface of body cavities.
ER	Abbreviation for emergency room.
erythrocyte	A red blood cell. The erythrocyte is the cellular element of blood that carries oxygen.
esophageal obturator airway (EOA)	A device used to prevent regurgitation and provide an adequate airway by blocking off the esophageal opening with a cuffed obturator and providing ventilation through a series of sideholes in the obturator tube.
esophagus	The portion of the digestive tract that lies between the pharynx and the stomach.
estrogen	One of the classes of female sex hormones.
ETA	Abbreviation for estimated time of arrival.
ethanol	Ethyl alcohol; the type of alcohol consumed in alcoholic beverages.
etiology	The causative agent of a disease.
eustachian tube	The tube leading from the back of the throat to the middle ear,whose purpose is to equalize pressure in the middle ear.
evert	To turn a part, such as the foot, outward.
eviscerate	To remove the intestines; to disembowel.
exacerbation	A flare up or worsening of a disease condition.
excitability	The ability of the heart to initiate, conduct, and be stimulated by electric impulses.
excitation impulse	An electric impulse that arises automatically in the electric conduction system and causes depolarization of the heart muscles.
exhalation	The act of breathing out; expiration.
expectorant	A drug that loosens the mucus secretions of the bronchial tree and facilitates their removal.
expiration	The action of breathing out; exhalation.
exsanguinate	To bleed to death.
extension	The movement that brings two members of a limb into or toward a straight condition.
external chest compressions	Mechanical depression of the lower half of the sternum with the aim of compressing the ventricles and increasing intrathoracic pressure, thereby squeezing blood into the systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation.
extracellular fluid (ECF)	The portion of the total body water outside the cells, comprising the interstitial fluid and plasma.
extract	A concentrated preparation of a drug prepared by putting the drug into solution in alcohol or water and evaporating off the excess solvent to a prescribed standard.
extraocular motions	The movements of the eyes.
extrasystole	An extra heart beat, often a premature contraction.
extravasation	Leakage of intravenous fluid into surrounding tissues, often caused by penetration of the opposite wall of the vein used for venipuncture.
extremity	A limb; an arm or a leg.
extrication	Freeing an entrapped victim.
extruded	Being pushed out of normal position.
exudate	An accumulation of fluid in body tissue or cavities.
facies	The expression or appearance of the face, which may be characteristic of various disease conditions.
fainting	A momentary loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain; syncope.
fallopian tube	A tube extending from an ovary to the uterus.
fasciculations	Rippling movements in individual muscle bundles.
FCC	An abbreviation for Federal Communications Commission.
febrile	Characterized by fever.
feces	Bowel movement; the stool.
femoral	Pertaining to the femur or the thigh.
femoral artery	The main artery supplying the thigh and leg.
femur	The bone that extends from the pelvis to the knee. It is the longest and largest bone of the body.
fetus	The unborn human after the second month of pregnancy.
fibrillation	Disorganized, uncoordinated movements of the heart muscle, resulting in quivering and ineffectual contractions of the atria or ventricles.
fibrillatory waves (f waves)	On the ECG, these waves appear as frequent, irregular waves caused by rapid, disorganized firing of multiple ectopic foci in the atria or ventricles.
fibrosis	The formation of fibrous tissue in the place of necrotic muscle.
fibula	The smaller of the two bones of the lower leg.
flaccid	Soft; limp.
flail chest	The condition in which several ribs are broken, each in at least two places, or in which there is sternal fracture or separation of the ribs from the sternum, producing a free or floating segment of the chest wall that moves paradoxically on respirati
flexion	The act of bending.
fluidextract	A concentrated form of a drug prepared by dissolving the crude drug in the fluid in which it is most readily soluble. Fluidextracts are standardized so that 1 ml contains 1 gm of the drug.
flutter	Repetitive, regular, and rapid beating of the atrial muscle.
flutter waves (F waves)	Coarse, sawtooth waves on the ECG characteristic of atrial flutter.
FM	An abbreviation for frequency modulation.
fontanelles	The openings between the bones of the skull in very young children. As the child grows older, the bones of the skull fuse, and the fontanelles close.
foramen	Any natural opening through a bone or other structure of the body.
forearm	The part of the upper extremity between the elbow and the wrist.
Fowler's position	Semisitting position.
fracture	A break or rupture in a bone.
closed fracture	A fracture that does not produce an open wound in the skin; a simple fracture.
comminuted fracture	A fracture in which the bone is shattered or crushed into several small pieces.
compound fracture	A fracture in which bone ends pierce the skin; an open fracture.
greenstick fracture	A type of fracture occurring most frequently in children in which there is an incomplete breakage of the bone.
impacted fracture	A fracture in which the broken ends of the bone are jammed into each other.
oblique fracture	An injury in which the fracture line crosses the bone at an oblique angle.
open fracture	A fracture involving disruption of the skin over the fracture site; a compound fracture.
simple fracture	A fracture that does not cause disruption of the skin; a closed fracture.
spiral fracture	An injury in which the fracture line twists around and through the bone.
transverse fracture	An injury in which the fracture line is straight across the bone at right angles to its long axis.
frequency	The number of cycles per second of a radio channel, inversely7 related to wave length.
frequency modulation (FM)	A method of converting an analog signal (e.g., an ECG) into a tone of varying pitch, which can then be transmitted over radio frequencies.
frequency spectrum	The range of radio frequencies.
frontal	Pertaining to the forehead region.
frontal bone	The large, flat bone that forms the front of the skull.
frontal lobe	The front portion of the brain.
frostbite	The localized damage to tissues resulting from prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
furosemide	A potent diuretic drug used in the treatment of congestive heart failure (trade name
fused joint	A joining of bones to form a rigid structure, such as in the skull.
F waves	An abbreviation for flutter waves.
f waves	An abbreviation for fibrillatory waves.
gag reflex	Automatic spasm of the airway in response to irritation of the throat.
gait	The way a person walks.
gallbladder	The sac located just beneath the liver that concentrates and stores bile.
gamma ray	Radioactive emission from the nucleus of an atom, with high penetrating ability.
gangrene	Local tissue death as the result of injury or cutting off of its blood supply.
gastric	Pertaining to the stomach.
gastrointestinal	Pertaining to the stomach and intestines.
gauge	A measurement referring to the diameter of a needle cannula. Sizes range from 12 gauge (very large) to 25 gauge (very small) needles. The larger the gauge number, the smaller the lumen of the needle.
generic name	The name given to a drug by the company that first manufactures it. It is usually a simplified version of the chemical name.
genitalia	The male and female external sex organs.
geriatric	Referring to the elderly.
gestation	Pregnancy.
gland	Any organ or group of cells that produces any type of secretion.
glaucoma	A disease that produces increased pressure within the eyeball and may lead to blindness.
glottis	The opening between the vocal cords.
glucose	A simple sugar. Its dextro form (dextrose) is commonly used in intravenous solutions.
gm	An abbreviation for gram.
Good Samaritan Act	Statute for providing limited immunity from prosecution to persons responding voluntarily and in good faith to the aid of an injured person outside the hospital.
gram (gm)	A unit of weight in the metric system, equivalent to about 0.035 ounces.
grand mal seizure	A generalized motor seizure.
gravid	Pregnant.
groin	The inguinal region; the junction of the abdomen with the thigh.
gtt	An abbreviation meaning "drops."
habituation	A situation in which the effects produced by a drug are necessary to maintain a person's feeling of well being.
hallucination	A sense perception not founded on objective reality.
hallucinogen	An agent or drug that has the capacity to stimulate hallucinations.
hb (hgb)	Abbreviations for hemoglobin.
hct	An abbreviation for hematocrit.
head tilt	Maneuver to open the airway by hyperextending the head.
heart attack	A layman's term for a condition resulting from blockage of a coronary artery with subsequent death of part of the heart muscle; an acute myocardial infarction; a "coronary."
heart block	A condition in which the passage of electric impulses from the atrium through the AV junction is hindered or prevented altogether.
first degree heart block	A partial disruption of the conduction of the depolarizing impulse from the atria to the ventricles, causing prolongation of the P R interval.
second degree heart block	A type of incomplete heart block in which a variable percentage of the P waves are not followed by a QRS complex.
third degree heart block	Complete heart block; complete absence of conduction of the depolarizing impulse from the atria to the ventricles. An ectopic focus below the block becomes the pacemaker for the ventricles, and atrial and ventricular contractions become dissociated.
heat cramps	Painful muscle cramps resulting from excessive loss of salt and water through sweating.
heat exhaustion	Prostration caused by excessive loss of water and salt through sweating. It is characterized by cold, clammy skin and a weak, rapid pulse.
heat stroke	A life threatening condition caused by a disturbance in the temperature regulating mechanism. It is characterized by extreme fever, hot and dry skin, bounding pulse, and delirium or coma.
hematemesis	Vomiting blood.
hematocrit (hct)	The percentage of a sample of whole blood occupied by red blood cells.
hematoma	A localized collection of blood in the tissues as a result of injury or a broken blood vessel.
hematuria	Discharge of blood in the urine.
hemiparesis	Weakness on one side of the body.
hemiplegia	Paralysis of the lower half of the body.
hemodialysis	The process of removing certain noxious agents from the blood by diffusion through a semipermeable membrane.
hemoglobin (hb, hgb)	The oxygen carrying pigment of the red blood cells. When it has absorbed oxygen in the lungs, hemoglobin is bright red and is called oxyhemoglobin. After it has given up its oxygen in the tissues, it is purple and is called reduced hemoglobin
hemolysis	The disintegration of the red blood cells resulting from some adverse factor, such as a transfusion reaction.
hemophilia	An inherited blood disease of males, characterized by inability of the blood to clot.
hemoptysis	Coughing up blood from the lungs.
hemorrhage	Bleeding, particularly if excessive.
hemorrhagic shock	A state of inadequate tissue perfusion caused by blood loss.
hemostasis	Stopping hemorrhage.
hemostat	An instrument that stops hemorrhage by compressing the bleeding vessel; a type of clamp.
hemothorax	Bleeding into the pleural cavity.
heparin	An intravenous anticoagulant medication.
hepatitis	Inflammation of the liver.
hepatomegaly	Enlargement of the liver.
hernia	The protrusion of any organ through an opening into a body cavity where it does not belong. The most common is an inguinal hernia in which a loop of intestine descends into the inguinal canal in the groin.
hiatus hernia	The protrusion of the stomach into the mediastinum through an opening in the diaphragm. This can mimic the chest pain of angina pectoris or acute myocardial infarction.
hinge joint	A specialized joint found in the elbow, knee, and fingers.
His Purkinje system	The portion of the electric conduction system, located in the lower part of the interventricular septum and in the ventricular walls, that conducts the electric impulse from the AV junction to the Purkinje network in the ventricles.
history	Information about the patient's chief complaint, present symptoms, and previous illnesses.
homeostasis	A tendency to constancy or stability in the body's internal environment.
homicide	The taking of another's life.
hormone	A substance secreted by an endocrine gland that has effects on other glands or organs of the body.
hs	An abbreviation meaning "at bedtime."
humerus	The bone of the upper arm.
hydration	A state of water balance in the body.
hydrothorax	Fluid in the pleural cavity.
hygroscopic	Tending to absorb water.
hyoid bone	A U shaped bone in the throat just above the larynx at the base of the tongue.
hypercarbia	Excessive partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood; an arterial PCO2 greater than 45 to 50 torr.
hyperemia	Increased blood flow to a region or tissue.
hyperextension	Overextension of a limb or other part of the body.
hyperglycemia	Abnormally increased concentration of sugar in the blood.
hyperkalemia	Excessive amount of potassium in the blood.
hyperpnea	Increased depth of respiration.
hyperpyrexia	Abnormally high fever; hyperthermia.
hyperreflexia	Overactive reflexes.
hyperresonance	Abnormally increased resonance to percussion, as in the chest of an asthmatic.
hypersensitivity	Having the ability to react with characteristic symptoms to contact with certain substances; allergy.
hypertension	High blood pressure, usually referring to a diastolic pressure greater than 90 to 95 mm Hg.
hyperthermia	Abnormally increased body temperature; hyperpyrexia.
hypertonic	Having an osmotic pressure greater than a solution to which it is being compared, usually the intracellular fluid.
hypertrophy	Enlargement of an organ caused by an increase in size of its constituent cells,k rather than an increase in the number of cells.
hyperventilation	An increased rate and/or depth of respiration that results in abnormal lowering of the arterial carbon dioxide tension (PCO2).
hyphema	Hemorrhage into the anterior chamber of the eye.
hypocarbia	Abnormally low carbon dioxide tension in the blood; an arterial PCO2 less than 35 torr.
hypoglycemia	Abnormally diminished concentration of sugar in the blood.
hypokalemia	Abnormally low concentration of potassium in the blood.
hypopharynx	The most distal portion of the pharynx, which leads to the larynx and esophagus.
hypotension	Low blood pressure.
hypothermia	Having a body temperature below normal.
hypotonic	Having an osmotic pressure less than a solution to which it is being compared, usually the intracellular fluid.
hypoventilation	Inadequate ventilation, with a resultant rise in the arterial PCO2 to levels above normal (higher than 45 torr).
hypovolemia	Abnormally decreased amount of blood and fluids in the body.;
hypoxemia	Inadequate oxygen in the blood; an arterial PO2 less than 60 torr.
I & O	An abbreviation for intake and output; the measurement of a patient's fluid intake and output.
ICF	An abbreviation for intracellular fluid.
icterus	Jaundice, the yellow appearance of the skin and other tissues caused by an accumulation of bile pigments. It is often seen in liver disease.
idiopathic	Of unknown cause.
idiosyncrasy	An abnormal sensitivity to a drug, peculiar to an individual.
idioventricular	Relating to or affecting the ventricle only. An idioventricular rhythm is one that arises in the ventricles.
ileum	The third portion of the small intestine.
ilium	The broad, uppermost portion of the hip bone.
IM	An abbreviation for intramuscular.
immobilization	The holding of a part firmly in place, as by means of splints.
impaled object	An object that has caused a puncture wound and that remains embedded in the wound.
incision	A wound usually made deliberately in connection with surgery; a clean cut, as opposed to a laceration.
incompatibility	In blood typing, the situation in which the donor and recipient blood cannot be mixed without clumping or adverse reactions.
incomplete AV block	First or second degree heart block.
incontinence	An inability to prevent the flow of urine or feces.
indication	The circumstances under which a drug is suited for use.
indwelling catheter	A plastic catheter designed for insertion into the lumen of a tube or vessel.
infarction	Death (necrosis) of a localized area of tissue caused by the cutting off of its blood supply.
infection	An invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms.
inferior	In anatomy, situated below, or directed downward; the lower surface of an organ or structure.
inferior vena cava	A major vein that empties venous blood from the lower extremities and abdominal organs into the right atrium.
infiltration	A deposit of fluid into the tissues, often occurring as a result of administering fluid through an IV cannula that has penetrated the opposite wall of the vein.
inflammation	A tissue reaction to chemical or physical injury or infection. The signs are pain, heat, redness, and swelling.
infusion	Administration of fluid into a vein.
ingestion	The taking in of food or other substances through the mouth.
inhalation	Active phase of respiration in which air is drawn into the lungs; inspiration.
innocuous	Not harmful or poisonous.
inoculation	An injection of any biologic substance intended to confer protection against disease.
inotropic	Tending to increase the force of cardiac contractions.
inspection	The first part of the physical examination, involving a careful visual examination of the patient.
inspiration	The breathing of air into the lungs; inhalation.,
insufficiency	The condition of being inadequate to normal performance.
insulin	A hormone secreted by the pancreatic islets that promotes utilization of sugar by the body.
insulin shock	Severe hypoglycemia caused by excessive insulin dosage with respect to sugar intake. It may be characterized by bizarre behavior, sweating, tachycardia, or coma.
intercostal	Between the ribs.
intercostal muscles	The muscles between the rigs.
intercostal space	The area between two adjacent ribs, containing intercostal muscles, arteries, veins, and nerves.
intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB)	Assisted ventilation under positive pressure to the spontaneously breathing patient.
intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV)	Controlled ventilation under positive pressure to the patient who is not breathing spontaneously.
interstitial fluid	The fluid bathing the cells. It is one component of the extracellular fluid.
interventricular septum	The thin, muscular wall dividing the right and left ventricles.
intima	The innermost layer of a blood vessel.
intoxication	The state of being poisoned, a condition caused by excessive use of drugs, including alcohol.
intracardiac injection	An injection of medication, such as epinephrine, directly into a heart chamber through the chest wall.
intracellular fluid (ICF)	The portion of the total body water contained within the cells. It is usually about 45 percent of the body weight.
intracranial	Within the skull.
intramuscular (IM) injection	An injection of medication directly into a muscle of a patient.
intravascular fluid	The portion of the total body water contained within the blood vessels; plasma.
intravenous (IV)	within or into a vein.
intravenous solution	Sterile water mixed with various concentrations of electrolytes and/or dextrose and prepared in sterile plastic or glass containers.
intubation	The placement of a tube through the glottis into the trachea (endotracheal intubation) or into the esophagus (esophageal obturator airway intubation); may also be used to refer to intubation of the stomach with a nasogastric tube.
involuntary muscles	The muscles that function without voluntary control; smooth muscles (as opposed to skeletal muscles).
ion	An electrically charged molecule, e.g., Na+ or Cl .
ionizing radiation	Transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles that has the ability to disrupt atoms in its path into their component ions.
ipecac, syrup of	A medication used to induce vomiting.
IPPB	An abbreviation for intermittent positive pressure breathing.
IPPV	An abbreviation for intermittent positive pressure ventilation.
iris	The colored portion of the eye surrounding the pupil.
irritation	A drug action that produces slight or temporary damage to tissues.
ischemia	Tissue anoxia from diminished blood flow, caused by narrowing or occlusion of the artery to the tissue.
ischium	The lowermost portion of the hip bone.
islets of Langerhans	Clusters of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
isoelectric line	The baseline of the ECG.
isoproterenol	A beta stimulator drug (trade name
isotonic	Having the same osmotic pressure as that of a reference solution, usually the intracellular fluid.
itis	A suffix meaning "inflammation of."
IV	An abbreviation for intravenous.
jaundice	The presence of excessive bile pigments in the bloodstream, which give the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes a distinct yellow color. It is often associated with liver disease.
jaw thrust	Maneuver to open the airway by pushing forward on the mandibles.
jejunum	The second portion of the small intestine.
joint	The point at which two or more bones articulate or come together.
jugular notch	Top border of the sternum.
jugular veins	Veins that return blood from the head, neck, and face to the superior vena cava.
junctional rhythm	A dysrhythmia arising from ectopic foci in the area of the AV junction. It often shows an absence of the P wave, a short P R interval, or a P wave appearing after the QRS complex.
K+	The chemical symbol for potassium ion.
keratin	The horny, proteinlike substance in the upper layers of the skin that is also the principle constituent of the hair and nails.
ketoacidosis	The condition arising in diabetics whose insulin dose is insufficient to meet their needs, wherein blood sugar reaches high levels, and fat is metabolized to ketones and acids. It is characterized by excessive thirst, urination, nausea, and vomiting,
kg	An abbreviation for kilogram.
kidneys	Paired organs located in the retroperitoneum that filter the blood and produce urine.
kilogram (kg)	A unit of measurement in the metric system, equal to 1,000 gm or 2.2 pounds.
KO (KVO)	An abbreviation for keep open (keep vein open). It refers to a very slow rate of intravenous infusion designed simply to keep the route patent and prevent the line from clotting.
Kussmaul breathing	Respiratory pattern characteristic of the diabetic in ketoacidosis, with marked hyperpnea and tachypnea.
L	An abbreviation for liter.
labia	The folds of skin and mucous membrane that comprises the vulva.
labor	Muscular contractions of the uterus designed to expel the fetus from the mother.
laceration	A wound made by a tearing or cutting action on the tissues. lactate
lactated Ringer's solution	A sterile intravenous solution containing sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride ions in concentrations similar to those present in the blood, as well as lactate added as a buffer.
lactation	Secretion of milk.
lactic acid	A metabolic end product of the breakdown of glucose. It tends to accumulate when metabolism proceeds in the absence of oxygen.
lactic acidosis	An excess of lactic acid in the blood, causing the blood pH to fall below 7.35.
large intestine	The portion of the intestine between the small intestine and the rectum; the colon.
laryngectomee	A person who has had total or partial surgical removal of the larynx
laryngectomy	Removal of the larynx.
laryngoscope	In instrument for directly visualizing the larynx and its related structures.
laryngospasm	Severe constriction of the larynx, often in response to allergy or noxious stimuli.
larynx	The organ of voice production.
lateral	Of or toward the side; away from the midline of the body.
lavage	A washing out of a hollow organ, such as the stomach.
lead	Any one of the records made by the ECG, depending on the direction of current flow.
left atrium	The upper left chamber of the heart, which receives blood from the pulmonary veins.
left heart	The left atrium plus the left ventricle.
left heart failure	The failure of the left ventricle to pump blood forward effectively causing backup of blood into the pulmonary circulation, extravasation of fluid into the lungs, and consequent pulmonary edema.
left ventricle	The thick walled, muscular, lower left chamber of the heart, which receives blood from the left atrium and pumps it out through the aorta into the systemic arteries.
lens	The portion of the eye that focuses light rays on the retina.
lesion	A pathologic or traumatic discontinuity of tissue or loss of function of a part.
lethargy	A lack of ambition to do anything, coupled with a feeling of sleepiness.
leukemia	A disease of the blood forming organs characterized by proliferation of white blood cells and pathologic changes in the bone marrow and other lymphoid tissue.
leukocyte	White blood cell.
lidocaine	A drug used to suppress ventricular ectopic activity (trade name- Xylocaine).
life threatening dysrhythmias	Dysrhythmias characterized by extreme bradycardia (less than 40 beats per minute)k, extreme tachycardia (greater than about 140 beats per minute), where electric instability is present or the cardiac output is decreased, especially in the context of
ligament	The tough band of fibrous tissues that connects bones to bones around a joint or supports an organ.
ligate	To tie off, as a bleeding artery.
limb presentation	A delivery in which the presenting part is an arm or a leg.
liniment	A preparation of a drug for external use, usually to relieve some discomfort or protect the skin.
liter (L)	A metric volume measurement, equal to 1,000 ml or 1.1 quarts.
litigation	Lawsuit.
liver	The large organ in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen that secretes bile, produces many essential proteins, detoxifies drugs, and performs many other vital functions.
loading dose	An initial, large dose of a drug that provides a blood level necessary to achieve its therapeutic effects.
lotion	A preparation of a drug for external use, usually to relieve some discomfort or protect the skin.
lumbar	The region of the spine and surrounding trunk between the thorax and the brim of the pelvis.
lumen	The cavity or channel within a tube, such as an IV cannula.
lungs	Paired organs in the thorax that effect ventilation and oxygenation.
lymph	An almost colorless, nutrient fluid that circulates in the lymphatic vessels.
malaise	A generalized feeling of vague bodily discomfort.
malignant	Cancerous; tending to become progressively worse and to result in death.
malleolus	The large, rounded, bony protuberance on either side of the ankle joint.
mandible	The lower jaw bone.,
manubrium	The upper portion of the sternum to which the clavicles are attached.
MAP	An abbreviation for mean arterial pressure.
marrow cavity	The central cavity in the shaft of the long bone where yellow marrow is contained.
MAST	An abbreviation for Military Anti Shock Trousers.
mastoid	A large, spongy bone behind the ear.
maxilla	The upper jaw bone.
mean arterial pressure (MAP)	The pressure approximately midway between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
mechanism of injury	The way in which an injury occurred and the forces involved in producing the injury.
medial	Toward the midline of the body.
mediastinum	The space within the chest that contains the heart, major blood vessels, vagus nerve, trachea, and esophagus. It is located between the two lungs.
medulla oblongata	The portion of the brain between the cerebellum and spinal cord that contains the centers for control of respiration and heart beat, together with other major control centers.
melanin	The pigment that gives skin its color.
meninges	The three membranes covering the spinal cord and brain; the dura mater (external), arachnoid (middle), and pia mater (internal).
meningitis	Inflammation of the meninges. It may present with fever, stiff neck, and delirium.
menopause	The time of a woman's life when menstruation ceases.
menorrhagia	Excessive flow during a menstrual period.
menses	The discharge that occurs with the monthly menstrual period.
menstruation	The process by which the uterine lining is shed each month by women between the ages of puberty and menopause.
mEq	An abbreviation for milliequivalent.
mesentery	Tissues by which the intestines are connected to the back surface of the abdominal cavity and that contain the blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves supplying the intestines.
metabolism	The conversion of food into energy and waste products.
metacarpal bones	The five bones that form the palm and back of the hand.
metaraminol	A drug sometimes used in the treatment of shock for its stimulating effect on alpha (sympathetic) receptors, which causes vasoconstriction (trade name
meter	A metric linear measurement, equal to 1,000 mm or 39.37 inches.
methanol	Methyl alcohol; wood alcohol. It is poisonous if ingested, causing extreme metabolic acidosis.
metric system	A system of weights and measures based on decimal units.
mg	An abbreviation for milligram.
MI	An abbreviation for myocardial infarction.
microdrip fluid administration set	A set used to deliver intravenous solution or medication at a very slow rate, thus permitting accurate titration of dosage.
microgram	A metric unit of weight, equal to 0.001 mg.
MICU	Abbreviation for mobile intensive care unit.
midclavicular line	An imaginary vertical line beginning in the middle of the clavicle and running parallel to the sternum slightly inside the nipple.
Military Anti Shock Trousers (MAST)	An inflatable garment applied around the legs and abdomen, used in the treatment of shock.
milk	In pharmacology, an aqueous suspension of insoluble drugs, e.g., milk of magnesia.
milliampere	A unit of current, equal to 0.001 ampere.
milliequivalent (mEq)	A unit of measurement for electrolytes based on chemical combining power. It is defined as the weight of a substance present in 1 ml of normal solution.
milligram (mg)	A metric weight measurement, equal to 0.001 gm.
milliliter (ml)	A metric fluid measurement, equal to 0.001 liter.
millimeter (mm)	A metric linear measurement, equal to 0.001 meter.
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg)	A metric measurement used in determination of blood pressure; commonly referred to as torr (Torricelli unit) when used to designate gas tensions in the blood.
millivolt (mV)	A unit of electric energy, equal to 0.001 volt.
minute volume	The volume of air inhaled or exhaled during 1 minute, calculated by multiplying the tidal volume times the respiratory rate.
miosis	Pupillary constriction.
miscarriage	A layman's term for an abortion, or the premature expulsion of a nonliving fetus from the uterus.
mitral valve	The valve located between the left atrium and the left ventricle.
ml	An abbreviation for milliliter.
mm	An abbreviation for millimeter.
mm Hg	An abbreviation for millimeter of mercury.l
mobile intensive care unit (MICU)	Ambulance staffed and equipped to give advanced life support.
monovalent	Having a single charge, e.g.,the sodium ion (Na+).
morbidity	A synonym for illness; generally used to refer to an untoward effect of an illness or injury.
morphine	A narcotic analgesic used to relieve pain and anxiety and to alleviate pulmonary edema.
mortality	Death from a given disease or injury.
motor nerves	Nerves that send messages from the brain to various organs and muscles to stimulate voluntary and involuntary actions.
mouth to mouth ventilation	The preferred emergency method of artificial ventilation without adjuncts in which the rescuer exhales through his mouth into the mouth of the victim.
mouth to nose ventilation	An emergency method of artificial ventilation used when the mouth to mouth technique cannot be performed. In this method, the rescuer exhales through his mouth into the nose of the victim.
mucosa	Any mucous membrane.
mucous membrane	A membrane that lines many organs of the body and contains small, mucus secreting glands.
mucus	A viscid, slippery secretion that serves as a lubricant and protects various surfaces.
multifocal	Arising from or pertaining to many foci or locations.
multipara	A woman who has had more than two pregnancies; also called "multip."
multiplex	A method by which simultaneous transmission and reception of voice and ECG signals can be achieved over a single radio frequency.
murmur	The sound that may be detected in the heart when one of the valves is leaking or partially shut.
muscle	The tissue comprising fibers that have the ability to shorten, thus causing bones and joints to move.
muscular tremor artifact	Numerous, extraneous deflections in the ECG caused by muscle movement or shivering.
mV	An abbreviation for millivolt.
myalgia	Pain in the muscles.
myasthenia gravis	A progressive disease of the muscles characterized by slow paralysis of various muscle groups.
mydriasis	Pupillary dilation.
myocardial	Pertaining to the musculature of the heart.
myocardial infarction	The damaging or death of an area of heart muscle resulting from a reduction in the blood supply to that area.
myocardial rupture	The bursting of a necrotic area of cardiac muscle, which may occur several days after the onset of acute myocardial infarction. It results in cardiac tamponade and is rapidly fatal if untreated.
myocardium	Cardiac muscle.
Na+	The chemical symbol for sodium ion.
NaHCO3	The chemical symbol for sodium bicarbonate.
naloxone	A narcotic antagonist drug used in the treatment of narcotic overdose (trade name
narcosis	An unconscious state caused by narcotics or accumulation of carbon dioxide or other toxic substances in the blood. The term usually implies respiratory depression leading to apnea.
narcotic	A drug that relieves pain and produces sleep by its depressant effect on the central nervous system.
nasopharynx	The part of the pharynx that is continuous with the nasal passages.
nausea	An unpleasant sensation in the epigastrium and abdomen, often preceding vomiting.
nebulizer	A device that delivers water or liquid medication in the form of a very fine spray.
neck lift	Maneuver to open the airway by lifting upward on the patient's neck.
necrosis	The death of tissue, usually caused by a cessation of its blood supply.
necrotic	Pertaining to dead tissue.
negligence	Failure to exercise the care that circumstances demand; an act of omission or commission that results in injury.
neonate	A newborn.
nervous system	The brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves branching from both.
neurogenic	Originating in the nervous system.
neurogenic shock	Shock caused by massive vasodilation and pooling of blood in the peripheral vessels to the degree that adequate perfusion cannot be maintained.
nitrogen	An element making up about 80 percent of the air we breathe, present in all plant and animal tissues.
nocturia	The necessity to get up at night to urinate.
nodal	Usually, pertaining to the AV node.
noise	Extraneous deflections in the ECG signal. It may be caused by muscle tremor, 60 cycle AC interference, loose electrodes, and weak radio transmission.
norepinephrine	A hormone and drug sometimes used in the treatment of shock. It produces vasoconstriction through its alpha stimulator properties (trade name; Levophed).
normal saline	An intravenous solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride, used when volume replacement is desired.
normal sinus rhythm (NSR)	The normal rhythm of the heart, wherein the excitation impulse arises in the SA node, travels through the internodal pathways to the AV junction, thence down the bundle of His, through the bundle branches, and into the Purkinje network without interfe
NPO	An abbreviation meaning "nothing by mouth."
NSR	An abbreviation for normal sinus rhythm.
O2	The chemical symbol for oxygen.
occipital	The region of the back part of the head.
occlusion	Stoppage, as of a blood vessel by a clot or thrombus.
occlusive dressing	A watertight or airtight covering for a wound.
ocular	Pertaining to the eyes.
OD	An abbreviation with several meanings
odontoid process	A toothlike structure projecting from the second cervical vertebra.
ointment	A semisolid substance used externally, usually containing medication.
oliguria	Minimal urine output.
open pneumothorax	A pneumothorax caused by an opening in the chest wall; a sucking chest wound.
opiate	Technically, various alkaloids derived from the opium or poppy plant; often used in a general way to refer to any drug that produces sleep.
opisthotonos	A convulsive, rigid arching of the back that is seen in tetanus and severe meningitis.
optic nerve	The nerve of the eye that transmits visual impulses from the eye to the brain.
orbit	The eye socket.
orifice	The entrance or outlet of any body cavity.
oropharyngeal airway	A ventilatory adjunct placed in the patient's mouth in such a way that the curved, distal part slides behind the base of the tongue, thereby holding the tongue forward, away from the posterior wall of the pharynx.
oropharynx	The area behind the base of the tongue between the soft palate and the upper portion of the epiglottis.
orthopnea	Severe dyspnea experienced when lying down, relieved by sitting up.
orthostatic hypotension	Fall in blood pressure in assuming an erect position.
OS	An abbreviation for oculus sinister (left eye).
oscilloscope	A display device with a screen for viewing an ECG or other physiologic data.
osmosis	The passage across a semipermeable membrane of pure solvent from a solution of lower soluble concentration to one of higher concentration.
osmotic pressure	The pressure exerted by a solution of greater solute concentration on water in a solution of lower solute concentration.
ostomy	A suffix meaning "surgical incision into an organ" (e.g., tracheostomy).
ovary	The female sex organ in which eggs and female hormones are produced.
overhydration	A condition that results from excessive retention of fluids.
ovum	An egg (pl., ova).
oxygen (O2)	A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas essential to life, composing 21 percent of the air we breathe.
oxytocin	A drug used to promote uterine contractions (trade name
p	An abbreviation meaning "after." (post)
PAC	An abbreviation for premature atrial contraction.
pacemaker	Specialized tissue within the heart that initiates excitation impulses; an electronic device used to stimulate cardiac contraction when the electric conduction system of the heart is malfunctioning, especially in complete heart block. An electronic pacem
pacemaker site	The site in any part of the electric conduction system where excitation impulses arise.
palate	The roof of the mouth.
pallor	Paleness of the skin.
palpation	Feeling a part of a patient's body with the hand to assess the consistency of the parts beneath, in physical diagnosis.
palpitation	A sensation, felt under the left breast, of the heart's "skipping a beat," caused by premature ventricular contraction.
palsy	Paralysis.
pancreas	An intra abdominal gland that secretes insulin and important digestive enzymes.
papillary muscle	Protrusions of the myocardium into the ventricular cavities to which the chordae tendineae are attached.
para	A prefix meaning "beside."
paracentesis	The draining of fluid from the peritoneal cavity by means of a needle or catheter inserted through the abdominal wall.
paradoxal respiration	The situation in which attempts to inhale cause collapse of a portion of the chest wall instead of expansion. It is seen in flail chest.
paralysis	Loss of motor function.
paranoia	A mental disorder characterized by abnormal suspicions or other delusions (often of persecution or grandeur).
paraplegia	The loss of both motion and sensation in the legs and lower part of the body, most commonly caused by damage to the spinal cord.
parasympathetic nervous system	A subdivision of the autonomic nervous system, involved in control of involuntary, vegetative functions, mediated largely by the vagus nerve through the chemical acetylcholine.
parenchyma	The substance of a gland or solid organ.
parenteral	The administration of a medication or fluid by means other than through the digestive tract, e.g., intravenous, intramuscular.
paresis	f Weakness.
paresthesia	An abnormal sensation, often of the pins and needles variety, indicating disturbance in nerve function.
parietal lobe	The portion of the brain containing sensory areas and areas of muscle control.
parietal pleura	The membrane lining the inside of the chest wall and the pericardium.
paroxysm	A sudden and intense recurrence of symptoms.
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND)	A severe shortness of breath occurring at night after several hours of recumbency, during which fluid pools in the lungs. The patient is forced to sit up to breathe. It is caused by left heart failure.
parturition	The act of giving birth.
patch	A connection between a telephone line and radio communications system, enabling a caller to get "on the air" by dialing into a special phone.
patella	The small, flat bone that protects the knee joint; the knee cap.
patent	Open, unobstructed.
pathogenic	Capable of causing a disease process.
pathognomonic	A symptom or sign that is sufficiently characteristic of a disease process to make a diagnosis possible on the basis of that finding alone.
pathologic	Indicative of or caused by a morbid condition.
pc	An abbreviation meaning "after meals."
PCO2	The symbol for the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in a gas.
pedal	Pertaining to the foot.
pediatrics	A medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of children.
PEEP	An abbreviation for positive end expiratory pressure.
pelvic girdle	The large bone that arises in the area of the last nine vertebrae and sweeps around to form a complete ring.
pelvis	The lower bony structure of the trunk.
peptic ulcer	An ulcer produced by acidic gastric juice acting on the wall of the stomach.
percussion	Striking a part of a patient's body with short, sharp blows in order to produce a sound that will indicate the condition of the structures within.
percutaneous	Through the skin.
perfusion	The flow of blood through tissues.
pericardial cavity	A potential space between the two layers of the pericardium, the outer (parietal) pericardium and the inner (visceral) epicardium. Normally this space contains only a small amount of lubricating fluid.
pericardial effusion	Excess fluid within the pericardial sac.
pericardial tamponade	An accumulation of excess fluid or blood in the pericardial sac that interferes with heart action.
pericardium	A double layered sac containing the heart and the origins of the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and pulmonary artery.
perineum	The region between the genitalia and the anus.
periodic breathing	Cheyne Stokes respiration.
periorbital	The region around the eyes.
periosteum	Dense, fibrous tissue covering bone.
peripheral	Pertaining to an outside surface.
peripheral vascular resistance (PVR)	The resistance to blood flow in the systemic circulation depending on the degree of constriction of the network of blood vessels making up the peripheral vascular system.
peripheral vasoconstriction	Dilation of peripheral blood vessels, causing a decrease in blood pressure and warm, flushed skin.
peristalsis	Successive waves of muscular contraction and relaxation proceeding uniformly along a hollow tube, such as the esophagus or intestines, which propel the contents of the tube forward.
peritoneal cavity	Abdominal cavity.
peritoneum	The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity.
peritonitis	Inflammation of the peritoneum.
pertinent negative	Symptom or sign that the patient DOES NOT have but might be expected to have, given the chief complaint.
petit mal seizure	A type of epileptic attack seen in children, characterized by momentary loss of awareness without loss of motor tone.
pH	A measure of the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration, hence the acidity or alkalinity of a fluid.
phalanx	Any bone of a finger or toe.
pharmacology	The science that deals with the study of drugs in all their aspects.
pharyngeal	Pertaining to or situated near the pharynx.
pharynx	The portion of the airway between the nasal cavity and the larynx, consisting of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx.
phenobarbital	A barbiturate sedative hypnotic drug.
phenylephrine	A pure alpha (sympathetic) agent (trade name
phlebitis	Inflammation of the wall of a vein, some times caused by an IV line, manifested by tenderness, redness, and slight edema along part of the length of the vein.
phobia	An abnormal and persistent dread of some specific thing.
physiologic action	An action caused by a drug when given in the concentrations normally present in the body (applies only to drugs that are derived from normal body chemicals, e.g., epinephrine).
physiology	The study of body functions.
pia mater	Innermost layer of the meninges
piggyback	Adding solution to an infusion set by inserting a needle connected to another infusion set.
pill	A drug shaped into a ball or oval to be swallowed, often coated to disguise an unpleasant taste.
pinna	The outer portion of the ear leading to the ear canal.
pitting edema	Severe edema that renders the tissue boggy and capable of being indented by moderate pressure.
pituitary	The master gland of the body, located in the brain behind the eyes. It influences the secretions of all other glands.
PJC	An abbreviation for premature junctional contraction.
placenta	A vascular organ attached to the uterine wall, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the fetus; also called the afterbirth.
placenta previa	A delivery in which the placenta is the presenting part. It may result in excanguinating hemorrhage.
plantar	Relating to the sole of the foot.
plasma	The fluid portion of the blood from which the cells have been removed.
platelet	A small, cellular element in the blood that plays an important role in blood clotting.
pleura	The membrane lining the outer surface of the lungs (visceral pleura), the inner surface of the chest wall, and the thoracic surface of the diaphragm (parietal pleura).
pleural cavity	A potential space between the parietal and visceral pleurae.
pleural effusion	An excessive accumulation of fluid in the pleural space.
pleural space	A potential space between the two layers of the pleura.
pleuritic pain	Chest pain that is sharp and made worse by deep inhalation, coughing, or laughing. It is characteristic of pleural inflammation.
PMI	An abbreviation for point of maximal impulse.
PNC	An abbreviation for premature nodal contraction.
PND	An abbreviation for paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
pneumonia	An acute, infectious disease of the lungs.
pneumothorax	Air in the pleural cavity.
PO	An abbreviation meaning "by mouth."
PO2	The symbol for the partial pressure of oxygen in a gas.
point of maximal impulse (PMI)	The palpable beat of the apex of the heart against the chest wall during ventricular contraction. It is normally palpated in the fifth left intercostal space in the midclavicular line.
poly	A prefix meaning "many" or "much."
polydipsia	Excessive thirst and/or excessive intake of fluids.
polyphagia	Excessive hunger and eating.
polyuria	Excessive urination.
popliteal	The area or space behind the knee joint.
positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP)	The application of slight positive pressure at the end of exhalation for the purpose of preventing small airways from collapsing.
posterior	Situated in back of or on the dorsal surface.
postictal	Referring to the period after the convulsive state of a seizure.
postmortem	After death.
postpartum	After delivery.
potassium (K+)	A monovalent cation required for the proper functioning of muscle, particularly the electric conduction system of the heart.
potentiation	Enhancement of the effect of one drug by another.
powder	A drug that has been ground into powder form.
P QRS T	The ECG representation of one cycle of depolarization and repolarization of the atria and ventricles.
precordial	Referring to the general area over the heart and left lower thorax.
precordial thump	A sharp blow to the midsternum delivered in an attempt to terminate ventricular tachycardia or stimulate the heart to beat in asystole.
preeclampsia	The condition that precedes eclampsia, or toxemia of pregnancy, characterized by hypertension and edema.
preinfarction angina	Unstable angina.
premature atrial contractions (PACs)	Extra atrial contractions followed by ventricular contractions with normal or abnormal QRS complexes, caused by ectopic foci in the interatrial conduction pathways.,
premature infant ("preemie")	Infant born before the eighth month of gestation or weighing less than 2 kg (5 1/2 lb).
premature junctional contractions (PJCs)	Also called premature nodal contractions; extra ventricular contractions with normal or abnormal QRS complexes caused by ectopic foci in the AV junction.
premature nodal contractions (PNCs)	Premature junctional contractions.
premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)	Extra ventricular contractions caused by ectopic foci in the His Purkinje system of the ventricles and characterized on the ECG by bizarre, widened QRS complexes.
prenatal	Before birth.
presenting part	The part of the baby that comes out first during delivery.
primipara	A woman in her first pregnancy; also called "primip."
P R interval	The period of time between the beginning of the P (atrial depolarization) and the onset of the QRS complex (ventricular depolarization), signifying the time required for atrial depolarization and passage of the excitation impulse through the AV junctio
prn	An abbreviation meaning "as needed."
procainamide	A drug used to suppress ventricular dysrhythmias (trade name- Pronestyl).
prognosis	The probable outlook for recovery from disease.
prolapsed cord	A delivery in which the umbilical cord appears at the vaginal orifice before the head of the infant.
prone	Lying flat with the face downward.
prophylaxis	Measures to prevent the occurrence of a given disease or abnormal state.
propranolol	A drug used to suppress life threatening dysrhythmias. It is also sometimes used in the treatment of hypertension and angina (trade name- Inderal).
prostate	A gland at the base of the male bladder that often becomes enlarged later in life, causing obstruction to urine flow.
prosthesis	An artificial part made to replace a natural one.
prostration	Collapse.
protocol	A standard routine.
proximal	Closer to a point of reference, usually the heart.
pruritus	Itching.
psychosis	A mental disorder causing disintegration of personality and loss of contact with reality.
psychosomatic	Pertaining to bodily manifestations of any disorder of the mind.
pubis	One of the two bones that form the anterior portion of the pelvic ring.
puerperium	The convalescent period following the birth of a baby.
pulmonary	Referring to the lungs or related structures.
pulmonary arteries	The arteries that carry blood poor in oxygen from the right ventricle to the lungs.
pulmonary circulation	The flow of blood from the right ventricle through the pulmonary arteries and all of their branches and capillaries in the lungs, and thence back to the left atrium through the venules and pulmonary veins; also called the lesser circulation.
pulmonary edema	Congestion of the pulmonary air spaces with exudate and foam, often secondary to left heart failure.
pulmonary embolism	Obstruction of a pulmonary artery or arteries by solid, liquid, or gaseous material swept through the right heart into the lungs.
pulmonary veins	The vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.
pulmonic valve	The valve between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.
pulsatile	Characterized by rhythmic beating.
pulse	The expansion and contraction of an arterial wall caused by ventricular systole and diastole.
pulse deficit	The difference in heart rate between that measured by palpating the apex of the heart and that obtained by palpating a peripheral artery.
pulse pressure	The difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures, indicative of stroke volume.
pulse rate	The heart rate determined by counting the number of pulsations per minute palpated in any superficial artery.
pump failure	An inability of the heart to maintain cardiac output, resulting in congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock.
pupil	The small opening in the center of the iris.
Purkinje network	A system of fibers in the ventricles that conducts the excitation impulse from the bundle branches to the myocardium.
PVC	An abbreviation for premature ventricular contraction.
PVR	An abbreviation for peripheral vascular resistance.
P wave	The first wave of the ECG complex, representing depolarization of the atria.
qd	An abbreviation meaning "every day."
qh	An abbreviation meaning "every hour."
q2h	An abbreviation meaning "every two hours."
qld	An abbreviation meaning "four times a day."
QRS complex	Deflections of the ECG produced by ventricular depolarization.
Q T interval	The period between the onset of the QRS complex and the end of the T wave, representing ventricular depolarization and repolarization.
quadrant	A term used to designate one quarter of the abdomen.
quadriplegia	Paralysis of both arms and legs.
quinidine	A drug used to treat various atrial and ventricular dysrhythmias.
Q wave	The first negative wave or deflection of the QRS complex not preceded by an R wave.
raccoon sign	Also called "coon's eyes"; bilateral, symmetric, periorbital ecchymoses seen with some skull fractures.
radial	Pertaining to the wrist.
radioactive	Having the property of emitting ionizing radiation.
radius	The bone on the thumb side of the forearm.
rales	Abnormal breath sounds produced by flow of air through constricted, edematous, or fluid filled small airways.
rape	Sexual intercourse that is inflicted forcibly on another person, against that person's will.
receptor	A specialized area in a tissue that initiates certain actions upon specific stimulation.
rectum	The distal portion of the large intestine.
recumbent	Lying down.
red blood cell	Erythrocyte; a cell that carries oxygen.
reduce	To restore a part to its normal position, as a fractured bone.
reflex	An involuntary muscular action in response to some stimulation.
regression	In psychiatry, a return to an earlier or former state.
regurgitation	A passive, retrograde flow of gastric contents from the stomach into the pharynx and mouth (to be distinguished from the active process of vomiting).
relative refractory period	The stage of ventricular diastole during which the cardiac muscle is recharging (repolarizing) to a resting state following depolarization. During this phase of the refractory period, the heart can be stimulated to contract prematurely.
renal	Pertaining to the kidney.
repeater	A miniature transmitter that picks up a radio signal and rebroadcasts it, thus extending the range of a radio communications system.
repolarization	The electric process of recharging depolarized muscle fibers back to the resting state.
respiration	The act of breathing; the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide among the tissues, lungs, and atmosphere.
respiratory arrest	Cessation of breathing.
respiratory failure	Failure of the respiratory system to maintain an arterial PO2 greater than 60 torr and PCO2 less than 50 torr.
resting potential	The electric charge of the muscle fibers during the resting, polarized state.
resuscitation	The act of reviving an unconscious person by any means.
retention	An inability to void.
retina	The lining of the back of the eye that receives visual images and transmits then through the optic nerve to the brain.
retractions	Drawing in of the intercostal muscles and the muscles above the clavicles in respiratory distress.
retro	A prefix meaning "located behind."
retroperitoneum	The area behind the peritoneum, containing the kidneys.
retrosternal	Situated or occuring behind the sternum.
Rh factor	An antigen present on the red blood cells of some individuals. When Rh factor is present, the individual is said to be Rh positive; when Rh factor is absent, the individual is Rh negative.
rhonchi	Coarse, rattling sounds somewhat like snoring, usually caused by secretions in the bronchial tubes.
rib	One of the 12 bones forming the thoracic cavity wall.
rib cage	The supporting structure of the chest.
right atrium	The upper right chamber of the heart, which receives blood from the venae cavae and supplies blood to the right ventricle.
right heart failure	An inability of the right ventricle to pump blood forward effectively, causing a backup of blood into the systemic veins, with consequent edema of body tissues.
right ventricle	The lower right chamber of the heart, which receives blood from the right atrium and pumps blood out through the pulmonic valve into the pulmonary arteries.
Ringer's solution	A sterile intravenous solution containing sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride ions in concentrations similar to those present in blood. It is useful for replacing fluid losses, as in dehydration.
risk factor	A factor that leads to and perpetuates a disease process.
R on T pattern	A dangerous kind of PVC that is seen on the ECG to fall on the T wave of the preceding QRS T complex, representing the occurrence of an extrasystole during the vulnerable period of ventricular repolarization and often triggering ventricular tachycar
R R interval	The period of time between the onset of one QRS complex and the onset of the succeeding QRS complex.
R wave	The positive wave or deflection in the QRS complex.
Rx	An abbreviation meaning "prescription."
s	An abbreviation meaning "without."
sacral	Pertaining to the sacrum, part of the lower spine.
sacroiliac joint	The point of attachment of the ilium to the sacrum.
sacrum	A part of the lower spine formed by five fused vertebrae.
saddle joint	A joint formed where a portion of one bone hangs over another, as in the thumb.
salicylate	The class of drugs that includes aspirin.
saline	A solution containing salt.
salivary glands	The glands that produce and secrete saliva, connected to the mouth through ducts.
SA node	An abbreviation for sinoatrial node.
scalp vein set	An intravenous needle with butterfly "wings."
scapula	The shoulder blade.
sclera	Tough, white covering of the eyeball.
sebaceous gland	A gland in the dermis that secretes an oily substance known as sebum.
secondary pacemaker	A pacemaker site or ectopic focus in the electric conduction system of the heart other than the SA node.
sedative	A drug that depresses the activity of the central nervous system, thus having a calming effect, e.g., barbiturates, chloral hydrate.
seizure	An attack of epilepsy; a convulsion.
semicircular canals	Small structures in the inner ear that maintain one's equilibrium.
seminal duct	The duct through which sperm pass into the seminal vesicles.
sensory nerves	Nerves that send messages of various sense modalities (e.g., temperature, pain, touch, taste) through the spinal cord to the brain.
sepsis	Generalized body poisoning by the products of bacteria.
septic shock	Shock resulting from severe bacterial infection.
septum	A dividing wall or partition, usually separating two cavities.
sequelae	The aftereffects of a disease or injury.
serum	The liquid portion of clotted blood.
shock	A state of inadequate tissue perfusion, which may be caused by pump failure (cardiogenic shock), volume loss (hypovolemic shock), vasodilatation (neurogenic shock), or any combination of these.
shunt	The situation in which a portion of the output of the right heart reaches the left heart without being oxygenated in the lungs. It may be caused by atelectasis, pulmonary edema, or a variety of other factors.
sickle cell anemia	A hereditary, genetically determined, hemolytic anemia occurring in the Black population, characterized by arthralgias, acute attacks of abdominal pain, and recurrent embolic episodes.
SIDS	An abbreviation for sudden infant death syndrome.
sigmoid	The S shaped, terminal portion of the descending colon.
sign	Bodily evidence of disease found on physical examination; an indication of illness or injury that the examiner OBSERVES.
silent acute myocardial infarction	Painless myocardial infarction, occurring in 10 to 20 percent of patients with AMI, especially the elderly.
simplex	A method of radio communication utilizing a single frequency that enables either transmission or reception of either voice or an ECG signal but is incapable of simultaneous transmission and reception.
sinoatrial node (SA node)	The dominant pacemaker of the heart, located at the junction of the superior vena cava and the right atrium.
sinus arrhythmia	A slight irregularity of the heart rate caused by changes in parasympathetic tone during breathing.
sinus bradycardia	Sinus rhythm with a rate less than 60 per minute.
sinus tachycardia	Sinus rhythm with a rate greater than 100 per minute.
skeleton	The hard, bony structure that forms the main scaffolding of the body.
skull	The bony structure surrounding the brain; cranium.
SL	An abbreviation for sublingual.
sling	A triangular bandage applied around the neck to immobilize an arm.
small intestine	The portion of the intestine between the stomach and the colon.
sniffing position	The position of a patient for endotracheal intubation, with the neck flexed and the head extended.
snoring	Noise made on inhalation when the upper airway is partially obstructed by the tongue.
socket	A hollow in a bone into which a rounded part fits.
sodium	The major cation of the extracellular fluid.
sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)	A chemical buffer used to increase pH when acidosis is present.
solution	A liquid consisting of a mixture of two or more substances that are molecularly dispersed through one another in a homogeneous manner.
soporific	A drug that produces deep sleep.
spasm	A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles; a sudden but transitory constriction of a passage, canal, or orifice, as in laryngospasm.
sphincter	A circularly arranged muscle that acts as a valve to control the retention or release of fluids or semisolid materials in the body.
sphygmomanometer	A device for measuring blood pressure.
spinal canal	The area filled with spinal fluid immediately surrounding the spinal cord.
spinal cord	The collection of nerve tracts extending from the brain down the foramen of the vertebral column.
spirits	Preparations of volatile substancesdissolved in alcohol, e.g., spirits of ammonia.
spleen	The organ located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen that destroys old red blood cells.
splenomegaly	An enlarged spleen.
splint	Any device used to immobilize a part of the body.
spontaneous pneumothorax	A rupture of the lung parenchyma without trauma, leading to the accumulation of air in the pleural space.
sprain	Trauma to a joint that causes injury to the ligaments.
SQ	An abbreviation meaning subcutaneous.
squelch	To eliminate unwanted noise on a radio frequency.
stasis	The slowing down or cessation of blood flow to an area.
stat	An abbreviation meaning "immediately."
status asthmaticus	A severe, prolonged asthmatic attack that cannot be broken with epinephrine.
status epilepticus	The occurrence of two or more seizures without a period of complete consciousness between them.
stenosis	Narrowing or stricture of a hollow tube.
sterile	Free from living organisms such as bacteria.
sternocleidomastoid muscle	The large muscle that is easily felt at the side of the neck.
sternum	The long, flat bone located in the midline in the anterior part of the thoracic cage.
stethoscope	An instrument for performing auscultation.
stimulant	An agent that increases the level of bodily activity.
stoma	A small opening, especially an artificially created opening, such as that made by tracheostomy.
stomach	The hollow digestive organ in the epigastrium that receives food material from the esophagus.
strain	An overstretching of a muscle; a soft tissue injury involving a muscle.
stricture	Narrowing of a duct or any natural passage by an inflammatory process.
stridor	A harsh, high pitched respiratory sound associated with severe upper airway obstruction, such as laryngeal edema.
stroke	Cerebrovascular accident.
stroke volume	The amount of blood pumped forward with each ventricular contraction.
S T segment	The interval between the end of the QRS complex and the beginning of the T wave. It is often elevated or depressed with respect to the isoelectric line when there is significant myocardial ischemia.
stupor	A state of reduced sensibilities; mental confusion.
subclavian vein	A large vein located beneath the clavicle, joining the internal jugular vein.
Subcutaneous (SQ)	Beneath the skin.
subcutaneous emphysema	A condition in which trauma to the lung or airway results in the escape of air into tissues of the body, especially the chest wall, neck, and face, causing a crackling sensation on palpation of the skin.
subdural	Occuring beneath the dura, i.e., beneath the heavy, sheathlike covering of the brain. The term is often used in connection with the subdural hematoma following trauma to the head.
sublingual (SL)	Under the tongue.
substernal	Under the sternum; retrosternal.
sucking chest wound	Open pneumothorax.
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)	Crib death; the death of an infant after the first few weeks of life, the cause of which cannot be established by careful autopsy.
suicide	The taking of one's own life.
sunstroke	A form of heat stroke caused by prolonged sun exposure.
superficial	On the surface; the opposite of deep.
superior	An anatomic term referring to an organ or part that is located above another organ or part of the body.
superior vena cava	A major vein that empties venous blood from the upper extremities, head, and neck into the right atrium.
supinate	To turn the forearm so that the palm faces upward.
supine	Lying flat with the face upward.
suppository	A drug mixed in a firm base that melts at room temperature, shaped to fit various body orifices.
supraventricular dysrhythmia	A dysrhythmia arising from any portion of the electric conduction system above the ventricles.
supraventricular tachycardia	A tachyarrhythmia arising from above the ventricles.
suspension	A preparation of a pulverized drug in liquid. It requires thorough shaking before use.
suture	A type of joint in which the articulating surfaces are united, as in the skull; a type of special thread used in closing a wound.
swath	A cravat tied around the body to enhance immobilization of a part.
S wave	The first downward deflection of the QRS complex that is preceded by an R wave.
sweat gland	A gland that secretes water and electrolytes through the skin.
sympathetic nervous system	A subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that governs the body's "fight flight" reactions, stimulating cardiac activity.
sympathomimetic	Producing effects similar to those engendered by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, hence an alpha or beta sympathetic drug.
symphysis pubis	The midline articulation of the pubic bones.
symptom	An abnormal feeling of distress and/or awareness of disturbance of bodily function experienced by a patient. Symptoms are elicited in the history.
syncope	Fainting; a brief loss of consciousness caused by transiently inadequate blood flow to the brain.
syndrome	A complex of symptoms or signs characteristic of a condition.
synergism	The combined effect of two or more drugs such that their action in combination is greater than the sum of their individual actions.
syrup	A drug suspended in sugar and water to improve its taste.
syrup of ipecac	Drug used to induce vomiting.
systemic	Referring to anything that affects the body as a whole.
systemic circulation	The flow of blood from the left ventricle through the aorta, to all of its branches and capillaries in the tissues, and thence back to the right atrium through the venules, veins, and venae cave; also called the greater circulation.
systole	The period during which the ventricles contract.
systolic blood pressure	The peak pressure exerted by the blood on the arterial walls during ventricular contraction.
tablet	A powdered drug that has been molded or compressed into a small disc.
tachyarrhythmia	A rapid dysrhythmia (heart rate over 120 140/min).
tachycardia	A rapid heart rate, over 100 per minute.
tachypnea	An excessively rapid rate of breathing (over 25/min in adults).
tamponade (cardiac)	Acute compression of the heart caused by accumulation of fluid or blood in the pericardium.
tarsal	Pertaining to the ankle.
TBW	An abbreviation for total body water.
telemetry	A process of communicating physiologic data, such as the ECG, over long distances by radio or telephone.
temple	The region on each side of the head above and anterior to the ears.
temporal	The region of the temples.
temporal lobe	A brain lobe containing the control centers for speech.
temporomandibular joint	The articulation of the mandible with the skull.
tendon	The fibrous portion of muscle that attaches to bone.
tension pneumothorax	The situation in which air enters the pleural space through a one way valve defect in the lung, causing progressive increase in intrapleural pressure, with lung collapse and impairment of circulation
testes	The male gonads, which are normally situated in the scrota and which produce sperm.
tetanus	An acute, infectious disease caused by a bacterial toxin, with spasm of the jaw muscles causing trismus (lockjaw) and of the back muscles causing opisthotonos.
tetany	Sustained contraction of a muscle group.
therapeutic action	A beneficial action of a drug to correct a bodily dysfunction.
thermal	Pertaining to heat.
thoracic	Pertaining to the chest.
thorax	The part of the body between the neck and the diaphragm, encased by the ribs.
thready	Describing a pulse that is weak or feeble.
thrombocyte	A platelet; a cellular element of the blood involved in clotting.
thrombophlebitis	A condition in which inflammation of a vein leads to the formation of a plug (thrombus) in the vein.
thrombosis	The formation of a blood clot or thrombus.
thrombus	A fixed blood clot that forms inside a blood vessel.
thyroid	A gland located in the neck that produces hormones involved in the regulation of metabolism.
TIA	An abbreviation for transient ischemic attack.
tibia	The shin bone, located in the front part of the lower leg.
tic	A spasmodic twitching of a facial muscle.
tid	An abbreviation meaning "three times a day."
tidal volume	The amount of air inhaled or exhaled during normal, quiet breathing; the volume of one breath.
tincture	A dilute, alcoholic extract of a drug, e.g., tincture of iodine.
tinnitus	A ringing or tinkling noise, or sometimes a buzzing or roaring noise, in the ears.
tissue	A collection of cells of similar type that are specialized for performance of a particular function.
titration	In pharmacologic treatment, the method of administering a drug dose in very small increments at a time while carefully gauging the effect of each increment.
tolerance	The progressive diminution of susceptibility to the effects of a drug after repeated doses.
tonic clonic	Referring to the repetitive contraction and relaxation of muscle groups in a seizure.
total body water (TBW)	The total fluid content of the body, equivalent to about 60 percent of body weight in the adult male.
tourniquet	A constricting device used circumferentially around an extremity to impede venous outflow or obstruct arterial inflow.
toxemia	A generalized poisoning of the system caused by absorption of bacterial products.
toxemia of pregnancy	Eclampsia.
toxic	Pertaining to a poison; harmful.
toxin	A poison manufactured by bacteria or other forms of animal or vegetable life.
toxoid	A chemically modified toxin that, when injected, stimulates the development of immunity against a specific disease but that is not itself harmful, e.g., tetanus toxoid.
trachea	The cartilaginous tube extending from the larynx to its division into the main bronchi; the windpipe.
tracheostomy	A surgical opening of the trachea to create an airway.
traction	Pulling or exerting force to straighten the alignment of a part of the body.
trade name	The name under which a drug is marketed by a given manufacturer.
transfusion	An infusion of blood into a vein.
transfusion reaction	An adverse response to receiving blood or blood products.
transient ischemic attack (TIA)	A "little stroke"; a temporary loss of function resulting from a transitory decrease in circulation to a part of the brain. A TIA may warn of an impending stroke.
trauma	Injury.
traumatic asphyxia	A syndrome resulting from a very severe compression injury of the chest, with cyanosis of the face and neck, bulging of the eyes, and caved in chest.
tremor	An involuntary twitching of an extremity.
Trendelenburg position	The position in which a patient is placed on his back with legs raised and head lowered; also called shock position.
triage	A system used for categorizing and sorting patients according to the severity of their problems.
tricuspid valve	The valve between the right atrium and right ventricle.
trimester	Period of three months.
trismus	A spasm of the jaw muscles causing the teeth to be clenched shut, characteristic of tetanus.
T wave	An upright, flat, or inverted wave following the QRS complex of the ECG, representing ventricular repolarization.
UHF	Ultrahigh frequency; the portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 300 and 3,000 mHz.
ulcer	An open lesion of the skin or mucous membrane.
ulna	The larger bone of the forearm, on the side opposite that of the thumb.
umbilical cord	A flexible structure connecting the fetus to the placenta.
umbilicus	The navel; the "bellybutton."
unconscious	A state of being insensible or comatose.
unifocal	Arising from a single site.
uremia	A toxic condition caused by the inability of the kidneys to remove waste products of metabolism.
ureter	The tube leading from the kidney to the bladder.
urethra	The tube leading from the bladder to the outside of the body.
URI	An abbreviation for upper respiratory infection.
urine	The fluid secreted by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and discharged through the urethra.
urticaria	Hives.
uterus	The muscular organ lying in the female pelvis that houses the developing fetus; the womb.
uvula	A small, dangling protrusion attached to the soft palate in the midline.
vagal activity	Parasympathetic activity.
vagina	The genital canal in the female extending from the uterus to the vulva; the birth canal.
vagus	The tenth cranial nerve, chief mediator of the parasympathetic nervous system.
vallecula	The groove between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis.
Valsalva maneuver	A forced exhalation against a closed glottis, the effect of which is to stimulate the vagus nerve and thereby slow the heart rate.
vasoconstriction	Narrowing of the diameter of a blood vessel.
vasoconstrictor	A substance that causes narrowing of the diameter of blood vessels; an alpha sympathetic agent.
vasodilation	Widening of the diameter of blood vessels.
vasodilator	A substance that causes widening of the diameter of blood vessels.
vasopressor	An agent that raises the blood pressure by causing vasoconstriction.
vasovagal	Having vascular and vagal components; often used to refer to a syndrome consisting of precordial distress, anxiety, nausea, and sometimes syncope.
VD	An abbreviation for venereal disease.
vein	A blood vessel that carries blood to the heart.
venae cavae	The largest veins of the body, which return blood to the right atrium.
venipuncture	The puncture of a vein to obtain a blood sample or to introduce a catheter.
venom	A poison, usually the poisonous substances derived from snakes, spiders, bees, wasps, and other such creatures.
venous blood	Blood poor in oxygen, containing hemoglobin in the reduced state.
ventilation	Breathing, moving air in and out of the lungs.
ventral	Referring to the front of the body; anterior.
ventricle	A thick walled, muscular chamber that receives blood from the atrium and pumps it into the pulmonary or systemic circulation.
ventricular aneurysm	A localized bulge in the wall of the ventricle, often the late result of myocardial infarction.
ventricular arrhythmia	A dysrhythmia arising in the His Purkinje system.
ventricular ectopic activity	Initiation of electric impulses by a secondary pacemaker in the ventricles.
ventricular fibrillation	Rapid, tremulous, and ineffectual contractions of the cardiac ventricles; cardiac arrest.
ventricular standstill	Asystole.
ventricular tachycardia	Rapid, repetitive firing of a ventricular ectopic focus; a life threatening dysrhythmia.
venule	A very small vein.
vernix	A white, cheesy substance covering the skin of the newborn.
vertebra	One of the 33 bones of the spinal column.
vertebral	Pertaining to the spinal column.
vertex	The top of the head.
vertigo	Dizziness; a hallucination of movement; a sensation that the external world is spinning around.
VHF	Very high frequency; the portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 30 and 150 mHz.
viable	Capable of living.
vial	A glass container storing a sterile powdered or liquid drug for parenteral use, sealed with a rubber stopper, and often containing multiple doses.
visceral	Pertaining to organs of the body.
visceral pleura	The outer, membranous covering of the lungs.
vital capacity	The volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled from the lungs following a full inhalation.
vital signs	Measurements of body functions, including pulse, respirations, and blood pressure.
vitreous fluid	A jellylike, transparent substance filling the inside of the eye.
vocal cords	Paired structures in the larynx whose vibrations produce sound.
volar	Pertaining to the palm side of the arm.
volume expander	An intravenous fluid that stays in the vascular space, usually a colloid.
voluntary commitment	A situation in which a patient signs himself into a psychiatric facility of his own free will.
voluntary muscles	The muscles that function under the conscious control of the brain.
vomiting	A forceful, active expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth (as opposed to regurgitation, which is passive).
vomitus	The matter ejected from the stomach by vomiting.
vulnerable period	An interval during the relative refractory period of the ventricular repolarization, corresponding to the upstroke of the T wave, in which an ectopic impulse or an unsynchronized current can produce ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation.
vulva	The external parts of the female genitalia.
watt	A unit of electric energy obtained by multiplying amperes times volts.
watt seconds	Units of electric energy expressed as watts delivered for 1 second; joules.
wheeze	A high pitched, whistling sound characterizing obstruction or spasm of the lower airways.
white blood cell	Leukocyte; the cellular element of the blood that produces antibodies and participates in the inflammatory response.
withdrawal	Symptoms produced by abstinence from a drug to which one is addicted.
xiphoid	The small, cartilaginous, and bony portion of the sternum attached to the lower end of the body of the sternum.
Xylocaine	A trade name for lidocaine.
zygoma	The cheek bone.

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