Medical Terms Chapter 10
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- accerlerated care unit (ACU)
- Separate unit in the hospital where patients are prepared to better care for themselves and their condition after being discharged from the hospital.
- acidosis
- Acid/base imbalance causing the blood and body tissues to become excessively acidic.
- acute
- A severe condition rising rapidly to a peak and then subsiding.
- additive (parenteral)
- An addition of an active ingredient to a solution that is intended for intravenous administration or irrigation.
- alkalosis
- Acid/base imbalance causing the blood and body tissue to become excessively alkaline or basic.
- allergen
- An agent that provokes the symptoms of an allergy.
- allergy
- An abnormal reaction to a substance, situation, or physical state.
- ambulatory patient
- A patient who is able to walk and is not restricted to bed.
- amphetamine
- A stimulant drug; also known as uppers, bam bennies, browns, bumblebee, butterflies
- anabolic agent
- A substance that builds up tissue protein.
- anabolism
- The body process during which proteins are synthesized and tissues are formed.
- analgesic
- A substance the relieves pain.
- anaphylaxis
- A hypersensitivity reaction that is immediate, shock-like, andpossibly fatal.
- anesthetic
- A drug used to decrease sensation
- aneurysm
- A dilation or bulging out of a blood vessel wall.
- antepartum
- Before the onset of childbirth.
- antibiotic
- A substance that is able to kill or inhibit the growth of bacterial or other microorganisms.
- anticoagulant
- A drug that prevents or delays coagulation or clotting of blood; a "blood thinner".
- antiflatulent
- A drug that cacilitates expulsion of gas from the GI tract.
- antigen
- An agent that stimulates antibody formation.
- antineoplastic
- A substance that prevents the development or spread of tumor cells
- antipruritic
- A drug that relieves itch.
- antipyretic
- A drug that reduces fever.
- antiseptic
- An agent that inhibits the growth of microorganisms, but does not necessarily kill them.
- antitoxin
- A specific agent neutralizing a poison or toxin.
- antitussive
- A drug used for the relief of cough.
- arrhymia
- An abnormal, irregular heatbeat.
- arteriosclerosis
- Hardening of the arteries.
- arthritis
- Inflammation of joints.
- ascites
- Accumulation of fluid within the abdoninal cavity.
- aspetic technique
- A method of preparation that will prevent contanimation of a site or product.
- athersclerosis
- Lipid (fat) deposits in large and medium size arteries.
- atonic
- Weak tone or absence of tone.
- bactericide
- An agent capable of killing bacterias.
- bacteriostat
- An agent that inhibits the growth of bacteria.
- benign
- Not malignang or invasive.
- biopsy
- Excision of a small piece of tissue for diagnostic purposes.
- blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
- An indication of kidney function.
- bradycardia
- Slow heart rate.
- buccal
- Between the gum and cheek.
- calibration
- A method of standardizing a measuring device
- carcinogen
- Any substance that causes cancer.
- cathartic
- A drug used to produce evacuation of the bowel.
- central service
- An area in the hospital where general sterillization procedures are performed; serves as a storage facility for various equipment.
- chemotherapy
- Treatment of a condition with drugs. Currently used in reference to the treatment of cancer.
- chronic
- Of a long duration or frequent recurrence.
- coagulation
- Blood-clotting process.
- cocaine
- A topical anesthetic; also known as coke, crack, snow, blow, white horse, 8-ball.
- colostomy
- Creation of an opening into the colon through the abdominal wall.
- compliance
- Act of adhering to prescribed directions.
- congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Failure or diminished ability of the heart to pump an adequate blood supply to the rest of the body.
- crack
- an illicit, pure form of cocaine, usually smoked in a pipe.
- creatine clearance
- A measure of renal function.
- decongestant
- A drug used to open the air passages of the nose and lungs.
- decubitus ulcer
- A bedsore.
- deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
- A double-stranded structure that is the molecular basis of heredity.
- diabetes mellitus
- A chronic disease affecting carbohydrate metabolism.
- diagnosis
- The indentification of a disease from its signs and symptoms.
- diastolic pressure
- The force exerted by the blood on the vessels when the ventricles of the heart are in a state of rest before systole.
- diluent
- An agent that dilutes or reconstitutes a solution or mixture.
- diuretic
- A drug used to increase urinary output.
- eletrocardiogram
- A graphic record of the heart's action by electronic measurment.
- electroencephalogram
- A tracing or electronic recording of brain waves.
- embolism
- A traveling blood clot that may deposit in a vessel and obstruct flow through that vessel.
- ER
- A hospital unit where patients are treated for conditions that require immediate attention.
- equivalent weight
- The gram molecular weight divided by the highest valent ion in the molecule.
- erythrocyte
- A red blood cell.
- estrogen
- A hormone that produces secondary sex characterisitics in the female.
- etiology
- The causes of disease.
- expectorant
- A drug that promotes the secretion and excretion of mucus from the lungs and trachea.
- febrile
- Body temperature above normal.
- fibrillation
- Rapid, ineffectual heartbeat.
- floor stock
- Medications that are routinely kept on the nursing unit.
- gastric
- Pertaining to the stomach.
- generic drug name
- The nonproprietary (non-brand) name of a drug.
- glucose tolerance test
- A test for diabetes based on a ability of the liver to store glucose.
- hemorrhage
- Severe bleeding.
- hemostat
- An agent used to arrest hemorrhage.
- hepatitis
- Inflammation of the liver.
- heroin
- An illicit drug derived from morphine; also known as brown sugar.
- hyperalimentation
- Intravenous feeding; total parenteral nutrition (TPN).
- hypertension
- High blood pressure.
- hypnotic
- A drug used to induce sleep.
- hypotension
- Low blood pressure.
- immunity
- Resistance to infection.
- incubation
- The period between exposure to an infective disease process and the symptoms of infection.
- infection
- The successful invasion of the body by pathogenic organisms.
- inflammation
- The condition characterized by pain, heat, redness, and swelling.
- infusion
- The slow injection of a solution into a vein, subcutaneous tissue, or other tissue.
- injection
- The act of forcing a liquid medication into the blood or body.
- inpatient
- A patient who requires the use of a hospital bed and is registered in the hospital to receive medical or surgical care.
- ICU
- A hospital unit where the patient recieves constant and vigilant attention.
- intradermal
- Situated or applied within the skin.
- intrathecal
- Within the subdural space of the spinal cord.
- intramuscular
- Within the muscle.
- iontophoresis
- Introduction of medication into the tissue by means of an electric current.
- jaundice
- Yellow appearance of skin and mucous membranes resulting from the deposition of bile pigment.
- laboratory
- A hospital department where chemicals or biological testing is performed for the purpose of aiding diagnosis.
- leukemia
- A disease characterized by an extremely high white blood cell count.
- lozenge
- A small, medicated or flavored disk intended to be disolved in the mouth.
- LSD
- Lysergic acid diethylamide, a hallucinogen also known as beast, black sunshine, the chief.
- MAO inhibitors
- A class of drugs that act as antidepressants by inhibiting the enzyme monoamine oxidase.
- malignant
- A type of tumor that invades healthy tissue and becomes progressively worse.
- marijuana
- Substance from hemp, that has an effect on mood, perception and psychomotor coordination; also known as sinse, weed, herb, grass, dope reefer, maryjane.
- mastectomy
- Removal of the breast.
- medication administration record (MAR)
- A record maintained by the nursing staff containing information about the patient's medicatoin and its frequency of administration.
- meniges
- The membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
- metabilism
- The process by which an organism converts food to energy needed for anabolism.
- metastasis
- The spread of disease from one organ to another.
- milliequivalent (mEq)
- One-thousanth of an equivalent weight.
- miotic
- A drug that causes constriction of the pupil.
- mnemonic code
- A abbreviation used in computerized medication order entry.
- morgue
- A place where a corpse is kept until released for burial.
- mucolytic
- A substance that liquifies, dissolves, or digests mucus.
- mydriatic
- An agent that dilates the pupils of the eye.
- myocardial infarction (MI)
- Injury to the heart muscle due to inadequate oxygen supply caused by occlusion of the coronary atery.
- narcotic
- A drug that is habit formng and addictive and produces relief from pain.
- nephritis
- Inflammation of the nephron.
- nephron
- Functional unit of the kidney.
- obstructive jaundice
- Jaundice that results from an impediment to the flow of bile from the liver to the duodenum.
- occlusion
- Blockage of a blood vessel.
- operating room
- A unit in the hospital where major surgical procedures are performed.
- outpatient department
- An area of the hospital where various medical services are provided to patients who do not require a hospital bed.
- oxytocic
- An agent that cuases uterine contractions.
- palliative
- A treatment that provides relief but no cure for a condition.
- parenteral solution
- Sterile solutions intended for subcutaneous, intramuscular or intravenous injection,
- pathogen
- Any disease-producing organism.
- pathology
- That branch of medicine concerned with the essential nature of disease, especially the structural functional changes in tissue caused by the disease process.
- patient medication profile
- A record kept in the pharmacy of patient data and current durg therapy. It contains such info as initiation and discontinuation of meds orders and dosage for and strenghth.
- PCP
- Phencyclidine, a hallucinogen; also known as busy bee, buzz, zombie.
- pertussis
- Whooping cough; an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract.
- pH
- A measurement of acidity or alkalinity.
- pharmaceutics
- The science of drug-delivery systems.
- pharmacist
- A person licensed to dispense medication and to counsel on drug therapy.
- pharmacogenetics
- The study of the relationship between heredity and response to drugs.
- pharmacognosy
- The study of theraputic agents derived for natuaral sources.
- pharmacokinetics
- The study of bodily absorption, distribution, matabolism, and excretion of drugs.
- pharmacology
- The study of the action of drugs on the body.
- pharmacotherapeutics
- Pertaining to the use of drugs in the prevention or treatment of disease.
- pharmacy, contemporary
- A health service concerning itself with the knowledge of durgs and their effects on the body.
- pharmacy intern
- A person obtaining practical experience and training in pharmacy to meet the requirements of the state board of pharmacy for licensure as a pharmacist.
- pharmacy resident
- A graduate from an accredited pharmacy school enrolled in a program designed to develop expert skills in pharmacy practice.
- pharmacy technician
- Support personnel with education and training that allows performance of select tasks as delegated by the supervising pharmacist.
- pharmacy, traditional
- The art and science of compounding and sidpensing medications.
- phlebitis
- Inflammation of the veins.
- physical therapy (PT)
- Physical manipulation for the purpose of rehabilitation.
- plasma
- The fluid portion of the blood in which the blood cells are suspended.
- postpartum
- Occuring after childbirth or delivery.
- prognosis
- The expected outcome of the course of the disease.
- pulmonary
- Pertaining to the lungs.
- purified protien derivative (PPD)
- Product used as a skin test for tuberculosis antibodies.
- radiation therapy
- The use of x-rays in the treatment of a disease.
- radiopharmacy
- A branch of pharmacy dealing with radioactive diagnostics.
- radiology (x-ray) department
- An area of the hospital whre diagnosis and treatment are performed using x-rays, radioisotopes, and other similar methods.
- recovery room (RR)
- An area in the hospital where patients are monitored and treated immediately after leaving the operating room.
- renal
- Pertaining to the kidney.
- respiration
- The breathing process.
- ribonucleic acid (RNA)
- A single stranded structure that is the molecular basis for protein synthesis.
- rubella
- German measles.
- sedative
- A drug used to allay anxiety and excitement; often used to help a patient sleep.
- serum
- The clear fluid of the blood separated from solid part.
- signs
- Objective bodily evidence of distress found by physical examination.
- solvent
- A substance used to dissolve another substance.
- sterilization
- The act or process of rendering sterile; the complete destruction of microorganisms by heat ir bacteria compounds.
- styptic
- An agent that stops or slows bleeding by contracting blood vessels when applied.
- subcutaneous
- Under the skin.
- sublingual
- Under the tongue.
- symptom
- subjective evidence of a disease; evidence of disease as percieved by the patient.
- syncope
- Fainting; a transient loss of consciousness due to inadequete blood flow to the brain.
- syndrome
- A joint action of agents in which the total effect of the combination is greater than the sum of their individual independents effects.
- systolic
- The force exerted by the blood when the ventricles are in a state of contraction.
- tachycardia
- Rapid heart beat.
- telephone order
- An order for a drug or other form of treatment that is given over the phone to an authorized reciever by an authorized prescriber.
- testosterone
- A hormone that produces secondary sex characteristics in the male.
- toxic
- A toxin that has been detoxified by heat and chemical treatment that retains its anitgencity.
- toxin, bacterial
- A noxious or poisonous product that causes the formation of antibodies called antitoxins.
- trachea
- Windpipe.
- tracheotomy
- An incision in the trachea.
- tranquillizer
- A drug to relieve anxiety or agitation.
- urticaria
- Eruption or rash associated with severe itching.
- vaccine
- Any material that produces active immunization in the formation of antibodies.
- valence
- Those electrons that are associated with bonds between elements.
- vasconstriction
- Narrowing of blood vessels.
- vasodillation
- Relaxation of smooth muscles of the vascular system that produces dilation of the blood vessel.
- ventricular fibrillation
- Rapid ineffectual action of the ventricle of the heart.
- verbal order
- An order for a drug or other treatment that is given verbally to an authorized reciever by an authorized prescriber.
- vertigo
- A sensation the patient experiences that the external world is revolving around the patient; dizziness.
- virus
- A submicroscopic agent of infectious disease that is capable of reproduction.
- viscosity
- An expression of the resistance of a fluid to flow.
- vitamin
- A general term for a number of organic substances that occur in many foods in small amounts required for normal growth and maintenance of life.
- written order
- An order for a drug or other form of treatment that is written on the appropriate form by an authorized prescriber.