Chapter 5 Terminology

Front 1

auscultation

Back 1

listening for sounds within the body with a stethoscope

Front 2

baseline vital signs

Back 2

the first set of vital sign measurements to which subsequent measurements can be compared

Front 3

blood pressure

Back 3

the force exerted by the bood on the interior walls of the blood vessels

Front 4

bradycardia

Back 4

a heart rate less than 60 beats per minute

Front 5

capillary refill

Back 5

the amount of time it takes for capillaries that have been compressed to refill with blood

Front 6

clammy

Back 6

a moist, or cool and moist, condition; a skin condition often characteristic of shock

Front 7

conjunctiva

Back 7

the thin covering of the inner eyelids and exposed portion of the sclera of the eye

Front 8

constricted

Back 8

narrowed, made small

Front 9

cyanosis

Back 9

a blue-gray color of the mucous membranes and/ or skin, which indicates inadequate oxygenation or poor perfusion

Front 10

diastolic blood pressure

Back 10

the pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries while left ventricle of the heart is at rest.

Front 11

dialated

Back 11

expanded, made large

Front 12

flushing

Back 12

abnormally red skin color

Front 13

jaundice

Back 13

a condition characterized by yellowness of the skin, sclera of the eyes, mucous membranes, and body fluids.

Front 14

mottling

Back 14

a skin discoloration similar to cyanosis but occurring in a blotchy pattern; a possible sign of shock

Front 15

Orthostatic vital signs

Back 15

a comparison of blood pressure and heart rate readings while a patient is supine and while the patient is sitting upright or standing. An increase in heart rate of 10-20 bpm and a decrease in blood pressure of 10-20 mmHg when the patient becomes upright is considered a positive orthostatic test. Also called a tilt test.

Front 16

pallor

Back 16

pale or abnormally white skin color

Front 17

palpation

Back 17

feeling, as for a pulse

Front 18

pulse oximeter

Back 18

device for measuring the level of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen

Front 19

pulse oximetry

Back 19

measurment of blood oxygen saturation level

Front 20

pulse pressure

Back 20

the difference between the systolic blood pressure and the diastolic blood pressure

Front 21

Pulsus paradoxus

Back 21

a decrease in pulse strength during inhalation

Front 22

SAMPLE history

Back 22

a type of patient history. SAMPLE is an acronym used to remember catagories of information necessary to the patient history; Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, and Events leading the injury or illness.

Front 23

signs

Back 23

any objective evidence of medical or trauma conditions that can be seen, heard, felt, or smelled in a patient.

Front 24

sphygmomanometer

Back 24

instrument used to measure blood pressure. Also called a blood pressure cuff.

Front 25

stridor

Back 25

a harsh, high-pitched sound heard on inspiration that indicates swelling of the larynx.

Front 26

symptoms

Back 26

conditions that must be described by the patient because they cannot be observed by another person

Front 27

systolic blood pressure

Back 27

the amount of pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries when the left ventricle of the heart contracts and ejects blood.

Front 28

tachycardia

Back 28

a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute.

Front 29

vital signs

Back 29

the traditional signs of life; assessmnts related to breathing, pulse, skin, pupils, and blood pressure