Glossary C
Terms
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- Confusion
- state of being unclear or unable to make a decision easily
- Congenital
- present at birth
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- condition in which the heart's reduced stroke volume causes an overload of fluid in the body's other tissues.
- congregate care
- living arrangement in which the elderly live in, but do not own, individual apartments or rooms and receive select services
- conjunctiva
- mucous membrane that lines the eyelids
- connective tissue
-
the most abundant body tissue; it provides support, connection, and insulation.
Ex: bone, cartilage, fat, blood - consent
- the pt.'s granting of permission for treatment
- constitutional law
- law based on the U.S. Constitution
- Contamination
- presence of an agent only on the surface of the host wi/o penetrating it.
- Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
- a program designed to refine and improve an EMS system, emphasizing customer satisfaction
- CONTOMS
-
Counter-Narcotics Tactical Operations;
program that manages the training and certification of EMT-Ts and SWAT-Medics - contractility
- the ability of muscle cells to contract, or shorten
- contraction
- inward movement of wound edges during helaing that eventually brings the wound edges together
- contrecoup injury
-
occurring on the opposite side;
an injury to the brain opposite the site of impact - contusion
- closed wound in which the skin is unbroken, although damage has occurred to the tissue immediately beneath
- convection
- transfer of heat via currents in liquids or gases
- conventional reasoning
- the stage of moral development during which children desire approval from individuals and society
- convergent
- focusing on only the most important aspect of a critical situation
- cor pulmonale
-
hypertrophy of the right ventricle resulting from disorders of the lung;
CHF secondary to pulmonary hypertension - core temperature
- the body temperature of the deep tissues, which usually does not vary more than a degree or so from its normal 37 degree C (98.6 F)
- cornea
- thin, delicate layer covering the pupil and the iris
- coronary heart disease (CHD)
- a type of CVD; the single largest killer of Americans
- cortex
- the outer tissue of an organ such as the kidney
- cortisol
- a steroid hormone released by the adrenal cortex that regulates the metabolism of fats, carbs., Na+, K+, and proteins and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- coup injury
- an injury to the brain occurring on the same side as the site of impact
- coupling interval
- difference b/w the preceding beat and a (PVC)
- cover
- hinding the body behind solid and impenetrable objects that protect a person from bullets
- CPAP
- CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AIRWAY PRESSURE
- crackles
- light crackling, popping, nonmusical sounds heard usually during inspiration
- cramping
- muscle pain resulting from overactivity, lack of oxygen, and accumulation of waste products
- cranial nerves
- 12 pairs of nerves that extend from the lower surface of the brain
- cranium
- vault-like portion of the skull encasing the brain
- creatinine
- a waste product caused by metabolism w/i muscle cells
- crepitation (or crepitus)
- crunching sounds of unlubricated parts in joints rubbing against each other
- cribbing
- wooden slates used to shore up heavy equipment
- cricothyroid membrane
- membrane b/w the cricoid and thyroid cartilages of the larynx
- cricothyrostomy
- the introduction of a needle or other tube into the cricothyroid membrane, usually to provide an emergency airway
- cricothyrotomy
- a surgical incision into the cricothyroid membrane, usually to provide an emergency airway
- criminal law
- division of the legal system that deals with wrongs committed aganist society or its members
-
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING;
CISD - a process used to help rescuers work through their reponses to a critical incident w/i 24-72 hours after the event.
-
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT;
CISM - a system of related interventions usually performed by regional, non-partisan, multi-disciplinary teams composed of EMS peers and specifically trained mental health workers
- critical incident
- an event that has a powerful emotional impact on a rescuer that can cause an acute stress reaction
- critical thinking
- thought process used to analyze and evaluate
- Crohn's disease
- idiopathic inflammatory bowel disorder associated w/the small intestine
- croup
- viral illness characterized by inspiratory and expiratory stridor and a seal-bark -like cough
- crowning
- the bulging of the fetal head past the opening of the vagina during a contraction; indication of an impending delivery
- crumple zone
- the region of a vehicle designed to absorb the energy of impact
- crush injury
- mechanism of injury in which tissue is locally compressed by high-pressure forces
- crush syndrome
- systemic disorder of severe metabolic disturbances resulting from the crush of a limb or other body part.
- crystalloids
- substances capable of crystallization. In solution, unlike colloids, they can diffuse through a membrane, such as a capillary wall; IV solutions that contain electrolytes but lack the larger proteins asssociated w/colloids
- Cullen's sign
- discoloration around the umbilicus suggestive of intra-abdominal hemorrhage
- cultural imposition
- the imposition of one's beliefs, values, and patterns of behavior on people of another culture.
- current
- the rate of flow of an electric charge
- Cushing's reflex
- a collective change in vital signs associated w/increasing intracranial pressure (increased BP and temp.) (decresed pulse and respirations)
- Cushing's syndrome
- pathological condition resulting from excess adrenocortical hormones. Symptoms may include changed body habitus, hypertension, vulnerability to infection
- Cyanosis
- bluish discoloration of the skin due to reduced hemoglobin in the blood
- cystic medial necrosis
- a death or degeneration of a part of the wall of an artery
- cystitis
- an infection and inflammation of the urinary bladder
- cytochrome oxidase
- enzyme complex, found in cellular mitochondria, that enables O2 to create the adenosine trephosphate (ATP) required for all muscle energy
- cytokines
- proteins, produced by white blood cells that regulate immune responses
- cytoplasm
- the thick fluid, or protoplasm, that fills a cell
- cytotoxic
- toxic, or poisonous to cells
- Coagulation
- The 3rd step in the clotting process, which involves the formation of a protein called fibrin that forms a network around a wound to stop bleeding, ward off infection, and lay a foundation for healing and repair of the wound.
- Colic
- Acute pain associated w/cramping or spasms in the abdominal organs.
- central venous access
- surgical puncture of the internal jugular,subclavian, or femoral vein
- Cerebellum
- portion of the brain located dorsally to the pons and medulla oblongata. It plays an important role in the fine motor movement, posture, equilibrium, and muscle tone.
- chemoreceptor
- sense organ or sensory nerve ending located outside the CNS that is stimulated by and reacts to chemical stimuli
- Cold Zone
- Location at a hazmat incident outside the warm zone; area where incident operations take place
- Chemotactic factors
- chemicals released by white blood cells that attract more white blood cells to an area of inflammation
- cholinergic
- pertaining to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
- chronic gastroenteritis
- non-acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa
- Circumduction
- movement at a synovial joint where the distal end of a bone describes a circle but the shaft does not rotate
- cirrhosis
- degenerative liver disease
- clonal diversity
- the development, by B lymphocyte precursors in the bone marrow, of receptors for every possible type of antigen
- clonal selection
- the process by which a specific antigen reacts with the appropriate receptors on the surface of immature B lymphocytes, thereby activating them and prompting them to proliferate, differentiate, and produce antibodies to the activating antigen
- Cell
- The basic structural unit of all plants and animals; a membrane enclosing a thick fluid and a nucleus. Cells are specialized to carry out all of the body's basic functions.
- Cell-mediated immunity
- The short term immunity to an antigen provided by T lymphocytes, which directly attack the antigen but do not produce antibodies or memory for the antigen.
- cerebral perfusion pressure
- the pressure moving blood through the brain
- cerebrospinal fluid
- fluid surrounding and bathing the brain and spinal cord
- chemotaxis
- the movement of white blood cells in response to chemical signals
-
CHEMTEL,Inc.
Chemical Telephone, Incorporated - 24 hour toll free hotline
- CHEMTREC
-
chemical transportation emergency center;
24 hour toll free hotline - COPD
- a disease characterized by a decreased ability of the lungs to perform the function of ventilation
- chronic renal failure
- permanently inadequate renal function due to nephron loss
- civil law
- division of the legal system that deals with noncriminal issues and conflicts b/w two or more parties
- claudication
- sever pain in the calf muscle due to inadequate blood supply. It typically occurs with exertion and subsides with rest
- clonic phase
- phase of a seizure characterized by alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles
- closed fracture
- a broken bone in which the bone ends or the forces that caused it do not penetrate the skin
- Cellular telephone system
- telephone system divided into regions, or cells, that are served by radio base stations.
- cellular swelling
- swelling of a cell caused by injury to or change in permeablility of the cell membrane with resulting inability to maintain stable intra and extracellular fluid and electrolyte levels.
- Command
- the individual or group responsible for coordinating all activites and who makes final decisions on the emergency scene; often referred to as the Incident Commander (IC) or Officer in Charge (OIC.
- common law
- law that is derived from society's acceptance of customs and norms over time
- communicable
- capable of being transmitted to another host
- community-acquired infection
- an infection occurring in a non hospitalized pt. who is not undergoing regular medical procedures, including the use of instruments such as catheters
- compartment syndrome
- condition that occurs when circulation to a portion of the body is cut off; muscle ischemia that is caused by rising pressures w/i an anatomic fascial space
- comminuted fracture
- fracture in which a bone is broken into several peices
- communicable period
- time when a host can transmit an infectious agent to someone else
- communication
- the exchange of common symbols written, spoken, or other kinds such as signing and body language; the process of exchanging info. b/w individuals
- comorbidity
- having more than one disease at a time
- compensated shock
- early stages of shock during which the body's compensatory mechanisms are able to maintain normal perfusion
- colloid osmotic pressure
- a form of osmotic pressure exerted by the large protein particles, or colloids, present in blood plasma. In the capillaries, the plasma colloids tend to pull water from the interstitial space across the capillary membrane into the capillary.
- Colloids
-
Substances, such as proteins or starches, consisting of large molecules or molecule aggregates that desperse evenly w/i a liquid w/o forming a true solution;
IV solutions containing large proteins that cannot pass through capillary membranes. - Colostomy
-
A surgical diversion of the large intestine through an opening in the skin where the fecal matter is collected in a pouch;
may be temporary or permanent. - Coma
- A state of unconsciousness from which the pt. cannot be aroused
- Command Post
- Place where command officers from various agencies can meet with each other and select a management staff
- Closed-ended questions
- ask for specific info. and require only very short or yes-no answers
- Closed Stance
- a posture or body position that is tense and suggests negativity, discomfort, fear, disgust, or anger
- Clotting
- the body's three-step response to stop the loss of blood
- Coagulation Necrosis
- the process in which an acid, while destroying tissue, forms an insoluble layer that limits further damage.
- Chain of evidence
- legally retaining items of evidence and accounting for their whereabouts at all times to prevent loss or tampering
- Central Pain Syndrome
- condition resulting from damage or injury to the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord characterized by intense, steady pain described as burning, aching, tingling, or a "pins and needles" sensation
- Central neurogenic hyperventilation
- hyperventilation caused by a lesion in the CNS, often characterized by rapid, deep, noisy respirations
- cardio-inhibit-ory center
- a parasympathetic center in the medulla oblongata, controlling the vagus nerve
- carrier mediated diffusion
-
process in which carrier proteins transport large molecules across the cell membrane;
also called facilitated difusion - cartilage
- connective tissue providing the articular surfaces of the skeletal system
- central IV line
- IV line placed into the superior vena cava for the administration of long-term fluid therapy
- CNS
- the brain and the spinal cord
- cerumen
- ear wax
- C-FLOP
-
mnemonic for the main funcitonal areas w/i the IMS
Command
Finance
Administration
Logistics
Operations
Planning - chief complaint
- the pain, discomfort, or dysfunction that caused your pt. to request help
- child abuse
- physical or emotional violence or neglect towards a person from infancy to 18 yrs.
- Circadian rhythms
- physiological phenomena that occur at approximately 24 hour intervals
- circulation assessment
- evaluation of the pulse and skin and controlling hemorrhage
- cleft lip
- congenital vertical fissure in the upper lip
- cleft palate
- congenital fissure in the roof of the mouth, forming a passageway b/w oral and nasal cavities
- catheter
- a tube passed into or through the body
- cation
- an ion with a positive charge attracted to a cathode or negative pole
- cavitation
- the outward motion of tissue due to a projectile's passage, resulting in a temporary cavity and vacuum
- circulatory overload
- overload that occurs if too much medication is administered for the pt.'s condition
- circumcision
- the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis
- clinical judgment
- the use of knowledge and experience to diagnose pt.s and plan their tx.
- clitoris
- highly innervated and vascular erectile tissue anterior to the labia minora
- chancroid
- highly contagious sexually transmitted ulcer
- chlamydia
- group of intracellular parasites that cause sexually transmitted diseases
- choanal atresia
- congenital closure of the passage b/w the nose and the pharynx by a bony or membranous structure
- cerebrum
-
largest part of the brain consisting of two hemispheres.
Seat of consciousness
Center of high mental functions:
memory, learning reasoning, judgement, intelligence, adn emotions - certification
- the process by which an agency or association grants recognition to an individual who has met its qualifications
- Cheyne-Stokes respirations
- a breathing pattern characterized by a period of apnea lasting 10-60 seconds, followed by gradually increasing depth and frequency of respirations; respiratory pattern of alternation periods of apnea and tachypnea
- chronotropy
- pertaining to the heart rate
- chyme
- semifluid mix of ingested food and digestive secretions found in the stomach and small intestine
- clavicle
- bone that holds the scapula and shoulder joint at a fixed distance from the sternum
- cleaning
- washing an object with cleaners such as soap and water
- closed incident
-
an incident that is not likely to generate any further pt.s;
also known as a contained incident or a stable incident - closed pneumothorax
- air enters the pleural space through an opening in the pleura that covers the lung
- cellulitis
- inflammation of cellular or connective tissue
- central cord syndrome
- condition usually related to hyperflexion of the c-spine that results in motor weakness, usually in the upper extremities and possible bladder dysfunction
- catabolism
- the destructive phase of metabolism in which cells breakdown complex substances into simpler substances with release of energy
- catatonia
- condition characterized by immobility and stupor, often a sign of schizophrenia
- catecholamine
- a hormone, such as epinephrine or norepinephrine, that strongly affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems, metabolic rate, temperature,and smooth muscle
- catheter inserted through the needle
-
Teflon catheter inserted through a large metal stylet;
also called intracatheter - CAMEO*
-
Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations;
website developed by the EPA and NOAA as a source of info., skills, and links related to hzardous substances - cannula
- hollow needle used to puncture a vein
- cardiac tamponade
- accumulation of excess fluid inside the pericardium
- cardiac monitor
- machine that displays and records the electrical activity of the heart
- cardiac cycle
- the period of time from the end of one cardiac contraction to the end of the next
- cardiac arrest
- the absence of ventricular contraction
- capillary
-
one of the minute blood vessels that connect the ends of arteriole w/the beginnings of venules;
where O2 is diffused to body tissue and products of metabolism enter the blood stream - cannulation
- IV access
- cancellous
- having a lattice work structure, as in a spongy tissue in a bone
- carina
- the point at which the trachea bifurcates into the right and left mainstem bronchi
- caliber
-
the diameter of a bullet expressed in hundredths of an inch;
the inside diameter of the barrel of a handgun, shotgun, or rifle.
EX: .22caliber= 0.22" - CAGE Questionnaire
- a questionnaire designed to determine the presence of alcoholism
- cataracts
- medial condition in which the lens of the eye loses its clearness
- carpal bones
- bones of the wrist
- cardiovascular disease
- disease effecting the heart, peripheral blood vessels, or both
- cardiogenic shock
-
shock caused by insufficient cardiac output;
the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to perfuse all parts of the body - CO2
- waste product of the body's metabolism
- capnography
- the measurement of exhaled CO2 concentrations
- callus
- thickened area that forms at the site of a fx. as part of the repair process
- calcaneous
-
the largest bone of the foot;
the heel - cardio-accelera-tory center
- a sympathetic nervous system center in the medulla oblongata controlling the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine
- cardiac output
-
the amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute:
stroke volume multiplied by heart rate - cardiac depolarization
-
a reversal of charges at a cell membrane so that the inside of the cell becomes positive in relation to the outside;
the opposite of the cell's resting state in which the inside of the cell is negative in relation to the outside - cardiac contractile force
- the strength of a contraction of the heart