Paramedic Vocabulary Ch 28-38 Teex

Front 1

-- The antigen classification given to blood.

Back 1

ABO system

Front 2

-- Light, clay-colored stools caused by liver failure.

Back 2

acholic stools

Front 3

-- A highly specific, inducible, discriminatory, and permanent method by which literally armies of cells respond to an immune stimulant.

Back 3

acquired immunity

Front 4

-- The end-stage disease process caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A person with this is extremely vulnerable to numerous bacterial, viral, and fungal infections that would not affect a person with an intact immune system.

Back 4

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Front 5

-- An altitude illness characterized by headache plus at least one of the following: fatigue or weakness, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting or anorexia), dizziness or lightheadedness, or difficulty sleeping.

Back 5

acute mountain sickness (AMS)

Front 6

-- A sudden decrease in filtration through the glomeruli.

Back 6

acute renal failure (ARF)

Front 7

-- Hormone that targets the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol (a glucocorticoid).

Back 7

adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

Front 8

-- The outward expression of a person’s mood.

Back 8

affect

Front 9

-- The structure in the kidney that supplies blood to the glomerulus.

Back 9

afferent arteriole

Front 10

-- A state of physical and psychological addiction to ethanol.

Back 10

alcoholism

Front 11

-- A substance that produces allergic symptoms in a patient.

Back 11

allergen

Front 12

-- An abnormal immune response the body develops when reexposed to a substance or allergen.

Back 12

allergic reaction

Front 13

-- Conditions caused by the effects from hypobaric (low atmospheric pressure) hypoxia on the CNS and pulmonary systems as result of unacclimatized people ascending to altitude; range from acute mountain sickness to high altitude cerebral edema (HACE) and high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).

Back 13

altitude illnesses

Front 14

-- A progressive organic condition in which neurons die, causing dementia.

Back 14

Alzheimer’s disease

Front 15

-- Absence of menstruation.

Back 15

amenorrhea

Front 16

-- A class of drugs that increase alertness and excitation (that is, stimulants); includes methamphetamine (crank or ice), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA, Adam), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Eve, ecstasy).

Back 16

amphetamines

Front 17

-- Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, this disease strikes the voluntary motor neurons, causing their death. It is characterized by fatigue and general weakness of muscle groups; eventually, the patient will not be able to walk, eat, or speak.

Back 17

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Front 18

-- An unusual or exaggerated allergic reaction to foreign protein or other substances.

Back 18

anaphylaxis

Front 19

-- Male sex hormones that regulate body changes associated with sexual development (puberty), including growth spurts, deepening of the voice, growth of facial and pubic hair, and muscle growth and strength.

Back 19

androgens

Front 20

-- An eating disorder in which a person diets by exerting extraordinary control over his or her eating, and losses weight to the point of jeopardizing his or her health and life.

Back 20

anorexia nervosa

Front 21

-- Proteins secreted by certain immune cells that bind antigens to make them more visible to the immune system.

Back 21

antibodies

Front 22

-- A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that signals the kidneys to prevent excretion of water.

Back 22

antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

Front 23

-- An agent that, when taken into the body, stimulates the formation of specific protective proteins called antibodies.

Back 23

antigen

Front 24

-- A complete stop in the production of urine.

Back 24

anuria

Front 25

-- The resultant gaseous emboli from the forcing of gas into the pulmonary vasculature from barotrauma.

Back 25

arterial gas embolism (AGE)

Front 26

-- Abdominal edema typically caused by liver failure.

Back 26

ascities

Front 27

-- Inability to coordinate the muscles properly; often used to describe a staggering gait.

Back 27

ataxia

Front 28

-- Disorders in which the body identifies its own antigen as a foreign body and activates the inflammatory system.

Back 28

autoimmune disorders

Front 29

-- A disease caused by a virus that occurs naturally in the bird population. Signs and symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, and muscle aches.

Back 29

avian (bird) flu

Front 30

-- Increased nitrogenous wastes in the blood.

Back 30

azotemia

Front 31

-- An overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, characterized by itching, burning, or pain, and possibly a “fishy” smelling discharge.

Back 31

bacterial vaginosis

Front 32

-- Any medications of a group of barbituric acid derivatives that act as central nervous system depressants and are used as sedatives or hypnotics.

Back 32

barbiturates

Front 33

-- Injury resulting from pressure disequilibrium across body surfaces.

Back 33

barotraumas

Front 34

-- The heat energy produced at rest from normal body metabolic reactions, determined mostly by the liver and skeletal muscles.

Back 34

basal metabolic rate (BMR)

Front 35

-- An emergency in which the patient’s presenting problem is some disorder of mood, thought, or behavior that interferes with their activities of daily living (ADLs).

Back 35

behavioral emergencies

Front 36

-- A temporary paralysis of the facial nerve (7th cranial nerve), which controls the muscles on each side of the face.

Back 36

Bell’s palsy

Front 37

-- The family of sedative-hypnotics most commonly used to treat anxiety, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal.

Back 37

benzodiazepines

Front 38

-- A disorder in which a person alternates between mania and depression.

Back 38

bipolar mood disorder

Front 39

-- A disorder characterized by disordered images of self, impulsive and unpredictable behavior, marked shifts in mood, and instability in relationships with others.

Back 39

borderline personality disorder

Front 40

-- At a constant temperature, the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure (if you double the pressure on a gas, you halve its volume); written as PV = K, where P = pressure, V = volume, and K = a constant.

Back 40

Boyle’s law

Front 41

-- An eating disorder characterized by consumption of large amounts of food, and for which the patient then sometimes compensates by using purging techniques.

Back 41

bulimia nervosa

Front 42

-- Hormones produced by the adrenal medulla (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that assist the body in coping with physical and emotional stress by increasing the heart and respiratory rates and the blood pressure.

Back 42

catecholamines

Front 43

-- The immunity provided by special white blood cells called T cells that attack and destroy invaders.

Back 43

cellular immunity

Front 44

-- A developmental condition in which damage is done to the brain. It presents during infancy as delays in walking or crawling, and can take on a spastic form in which muscles are in a near constant state of contraction.

Back 44

cerebral palsy (CP)

Front 45

-- A very contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus, which is part of the herpes virus family, occurring most often in the winter and early spring.

Back 45

chickenpox

Front 46

-- A sexually transmitted disease that has the highest incidence. Signs and symptoms include inflammation of the urethra, epididymis, cervix, fallopian tubes, and discharge from the urethra.

Back 46

chlamydia

Front 47

-- Progressive and irreversible inadequate kidney function due to permanent loss of nephrons.

Back 47

chronic renal failure (CRF)

Front 48

-- Clotting.

Back 48

coagulation

Front 49

-- A condition caused by an excess of cortisol production by the adrenal glands or by excessive use of cortisol or other similar steroid (glucocorticoid) hormones.

Back 49

Cushing’s syndrome

Front 50

-- Each gas in mixture exerts the same partial pressure that it would exert if it were alone in the same volume, and the total pressure of a mixture of gases is the sum of the partial pressures of all the gases in the mixture.

Back 50

Dalton’s law

Front 51

-- Change in mental status that is marked by the inability to focus, think logically, and maintain attention.

Back 51

delirium

Front 52

-- A severe withdrawal syndrome seen in people with alcoholism who are deprived of ethyl alcohol; characterized by restlessness, fever, sweating, disorientation, agitation, and seizures; can be fatal if untreated.

Back 52

delirium tremens (DTs)

Front 53

-- A fixed belief that is not shared by others of a person’s culture or background and that can’t be changed by reasonable argument; a false belief.

Back 53

delusion

Front 54

-- The slow onset of progressive disorientation, shortened attention span, and loss of cognitive function.

Back 54

dementia

Front 55

-- A persistent mood of sadness, despair, and discouragement; may be a symptom of many different mental and physical disorders, or it may be a disorder on its own.

Back 55

depression

Front 56

-- Disease characterized by the body’s inability to sufficiently metabolize glucose. The condition occurs either because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells don’t respond to the effects of the insulin that’s produced.

Back 56

diabetes mellitus

Front 57

-- A form of acidosis in uncontrolled diabetes in which certain acids accumulate when insulin is not available.

Back 57

diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Front 58

-- Chemicals that increase urinary output.

Back 58

diuretics

Front 59

-- A chronic disorder characterized by the compulsive use of a substance that results in physical, psychological, or social harm to the user who continues to use the substance despite the harm.

Back 59

drug addiction

Front 60

-- Painful menstruation.

Back 60

dysmenorrheal

Front 61

-- A pregnancy in which the ovum implants somewhere other than the uterine endometrium.

Back 61

ectopic pregnancy

Front 62

-- An inflammation of the endometrium that often is associated with a bacterial infection.

Back 62

endometritis

Front 63

-- Smelling of feces.

Back 63

feculent

Front 64

-- A plant that contains cardiac glycosides used in making digitalis; ingestion of leaves causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, hyperkalemia, and a variety of arrhythmias.

Back 64

foxglove

Front 65

-- Permanent cell death.

Back 65

gangrene

Front 66

-- An infection of the genitals, buttocks, or anal area caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), which may cause sores of the genitals, mouth, or lips.

Back 66

genital herpes

Front 67

-- Warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease; also called condylomata acuminata or venereal warts.

Back 67

genital warts

Front 68

-- Hormone produced by the pancreas that is vital to the control of the body’s metabolism and blood sugar level. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of glycogen to glucose.

Back 68

glucagon

Front 69

-- An sexually transmitted disease which results in infection caused by the gonococcal bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhea. Signs and symptoms include pus-containing discharge from the urethra and painful urination in males, and signs and symptoms of an acute abdomen in females.

Back 69

gonorrhea

Front 70

-- A rare condition that begins as weakness and tingling sensations in the legs and moves to the arms and thorax; it can lead to paralysis within 2 weeks.

Back 70

Guillain-Barré syndrome

Front 71

-- The situation in which there is a physical tolerance and psychological dependence on a drug or drugs.

Back 71

habituation

Front 72

-- Also known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, this is a type of virus found in wild rodents, which can also cause disease in humans, characterized by fever, headache, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

Back 72

hantavirus

Front 73

-- Vomit with blood. Can either be like coffee grounds in appearance, indicating partially digested blood, or bright red blood indicating current active bleeding.

Back 73

hematemesis

Front 74

-- Passage of stools containing bright red blood.

Back 74

hematochezia

Front 75

-- The percentage of RBCs in total blood volume.

Back 75

hematocrit

Front 76

-- The presence of blood in the urine.

Back 76

hematuria

Front 77

-- A disorder relating to the breakdown of RBCs.

Back 77

hemolytic disorder

Front 78

-- An inherited sex-linked disorder characterized by excessive bleeding.

Back 78

hemophilia

Front 79

-- The amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid.

Back 79

Henry’s law

Front 80

-- An altitude illness characterized by dyspnea at rest, cough, severe weakness, and drowsiness that may eventually lead to central cyanosis, audible rales or wheezing, tachypnea, and tachycardia.

Back 80

high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)

Front 81

-- A vasoactive amine that increases vascular permeability and causes vasodilation.

Back 81

histamine

Front 82

-- is a term derived from the Greek words for “same” and “steady.” All organisms constantly adjust their physiologic processes in an effort to maintain an internal balance.

Back 82

homeostasis

Front 83

-- AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is caused by HIV, which kills or damages the cells in the body’s immune system so that the body is unable to fight infections and certain cancers.

Back 83

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Front 84

-- The immunity that utilizes antibodies made by B-cell lymphocytes.

Back 84

humoral immunity

Front 85

-- also known as hyperosmolar nonketotic coma (HONK), is a metabolic derangement that occurs principally in patients with type 2 diabetes. The condition is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperosmolarity, and an absence of significant ketosis.

Back 85

hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic coma (HHNC),

Front 86

-- also known as hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic coma (HHNC), is a metabolic derangement that occurs principally in patients with type 2 diabetes. The condition is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperosmolarity, and an absence of significant ketosis.

Back 86

hyperosmolar nonketotic coma (HONK),

Front 87

-- A generic term for bodily responses to a substance to which a patient is abnormally sensitive.

Back 87

hypersensitivity

Front 88

-- Of no known cause.

Back 88

idiopathic

Front 89

-- The body's abiliity to protect itself from acquiring a disease.

Back 89

immunity

Front 90

-- A condition in which an individual lacks the ability to resist a temptation or can’t stop acting on a drive.

Back 90

impulse control disorders

Front 91

-- A type of acute renal failure due to damage in the kidney itself, often caused by immune-mediated diseases, prerenal ARF, toxins, heavy metals, some medications, or some organic compounds.

Back 91

intrarenal acute renal failure (IARF)

Front 92

-- A specialized group of cells in the pancreas where insulin and glucagon are produced.

Back 92

islets of Langerhans

Front 93

-- The wave-like movement of a seizure from a point of focus to other areas of the brain.

Back 93

Jacksonian March

Front 94

-- White blood cells.-- The white blood cells responsible for fighting off infection.

Back 94

leukocytes

Front 95

-- The cornerstone drug for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Back 95

lithium

Front 96

-- The U-shaped portion of the renal tubule that extends from the proximal to the distal convoluted tubule; concentrates the filtrate and converts it to urine.

Back 96

loop of Henle

Front 97

-- A tick-borne disease which primarily affects the skin, heart, joints, and nervous system, and characterized by a round, red lesion or bull’s-eye rash.

Back 97

Lyme disease

Front 98

-- A condition that can result from common anesthesia medications (notably succinylcholine) and present with hyperthermia, muscular rigidity, altered mental status, and a hyperdynamic state.

Back 98

malignant hyperthermia

Front 99

-- A mental disorder characterized by abnormally exaggerated happiness, joy, or euphoria with hyperactivity, insomnia, and grandiose ideas.

Back 99

mania

Front 100

-- The cells that resemble basophils but do not circulate in the blood. Mast cells play a role in allergic reactions, immunity, and wound healing.

Back 100

mast cells

Front 101

-- An infectious viral disease that occurs most often in late winter and spring. It begins with a fever followed by a cough, running nose, and pink eye. Then a rash spreads from the face and neck down the back and trunk.

Back 101

measles

Front 102

-- Passage of dark, tarry stools.

Back 102

melena

Front 103

-- Inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord or brain.

Back 103

meningitis

Front 104

-- An infection of the fluid of a person’s spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Sometimes referred to as spinal meningitis, it is caused by bacteria or virus. The viral type is less severe than the bacterial; the bacterial type can result in brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability, or death.

Back 104

meningococcal meningitis

Front 105

-- A highly addictive drug in the amphetamine family.

Back 105

methamphetamine

Front 106

-- Infectious mononucleosis or mono (glandular fever), caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, is often called the kissing disease. It is also spread by coughing or sneezing.

Back 106

mononucleosis

Front 107

-- A viral infection that primarily affects the parotid glands, which are one of the three pairs of salivary glands, causing swelling in front of the ears.

Back 107

mumps

Front 108

-- Pain when pressure is applied to the right upper quadrant of the abdomen in a specific manner; helps detect gallbladder problems.

Back 108

Murphy’s sign

Front 109

-- A condition in which the body creates antibodies against the acetylcholine receptors, causing muscle weakness, often in the face.

Back 109

myasthenia gravis

Front 110

-- The generic term for opiates and opioids, drugs that act as a CNS depressant and produce insensibility or stupor.

Back 110

narcotic

Front 111

-- The immunity the body develops as part of being exposed to an antigen and developing antibodies, for example, exposure to measles, having the measles, and developing immunity to the measles.

Back 111

natural immunity

Front 112

-- Another term for cancerous cells.

Back 112

neoplastic cells

Front 113

-- The structural and functional units of the kidney that form urine; composed of the glomerulus, the glomerular (Bowman’s) capsule, the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), loop of Henle, and the distal convoluted tubule (DCT).

Back 113

nephrons

Front 114

-- A state resembling alcohol intoxication produced by nitrogen gas dissolved in the blood at high ambient pressure; also called rapture of the deep.

Back 114

nitrogen narcosis

Front 115

-- Various alkaloids derived from the opium or poppy plant.

Back 115

opiate

Front 116

-- A synthetic narcotic not derived from opium.

Back 116

opioid

Front 117

-- Number of live births a woman has had.

Back 117

parity

Front 118

-- A neurologic condition in which the portion of the brain responsible for production of dopamine is damaged or overused, resulting in tremors.

Back 118

Parkinson’s disease

Front 119

-- Abrasion of the stomach or small intestine.

Back 119

peptic ulcer disease (PUD)

Front 120

-- The rhythmic contractions of the intestines and esophagus that allow material to move.

Back 120

peristalsis

Front 121

-- The term used to describe a condition a person has when he or she behaves or thinks in a way that is dysfunctional or causes distress to other people.

Back 121

personality disorder

Front 122

-- Tiny purple or red spots that appear on the skin due to bleeding within the skin or under mucous membranes.

Back 122

petechiae

Front 123

-- A result of polio in which neurons break down and die, resulting in difficulty swallowing, weakness, fatigue, or breathing problems even after the patient has healed.

Back 123

postpolio syndrome

Front 124

-- A convex or distended shape of the abdomen. This can be caused by edema.

Back 124

protuberant

Front 125

-- Itching.

Back 125

pruritis

Front 126

-- A mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality.

Back 126

psychosis

Front 127

-- A technique for “filtering” the blood of its toxic wastes, removing excess fluids, and restoring the normal balance of electrolytes.

Back 127

renal dialysis

Front 128

-- The ability to recognize a foreign substance the next time it is encountered.

Back 128

sensitivity

Front 129

-- A disease that causes the RBCs to be misshapen, resulting in poor oxygen-carrying capability and potentially resulting in lodging of the RBCs in blood vessels or the spleen.

Back 129

sickle cell disease

Front 130

-- A development defect in which a portion of the spinal cord or meninges may protrude outside of the vertebrae and possibly even outside of the body, usually at the lower third of the spine in the lumbar area.

Back 130

spina bifida

Front 131

-- A condition in which seizures recur every few minutes, or last more than 30 minutes.

Back 131

status epilepticus

Front 132

-- Foamy, fatty stools caused by liver failure or gallbladder problems.

Back 132

steatorrhea

Front 133

-- Cells that can develop into other types of cells in the body.

Back 133

stem cells

Front 134

-- Stretch marks on the abdomen caused by size changes.

Back 134

striae

Front 135

-- An interaction of two or more medications that results in an effect that is greater than the sum of their effects if taken independently.

Back 135

synergism

Front 136

-- A sexually transmitted disease caused by the spiral-shaped bacteria Treponema pallidum and whose signs and symptoms include an ulcerative lesion or chancre of the skin or mucous membrane at the site of infection, commonly in the genital region.

Back 136

syphilis

Front 137

-- A type of anemia in which not enough hemoglobin is produced, or the hemoglobin is defective.

Back 137

thalassemia

Front 138

-- The ability of the body to maintain temperature through a combination of heat gain by metabolic processes and muscular movement and heat loss through respiration, evaporation, conduction, convection, and perspiration.

Back 138

thermoregulation

Front 139

-- Platelets.

Back 139

thrombocytes

Front 140

-- Hormone that controls the release of thyroid hormone from the thyroid gland.

Back 140

thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Front 141

-- A form of septic shock caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (group A strep) or Staphylococcus aureus; initial symptoms include syncope, myalgia, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, and sore throat.

Back 141

toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

Front 142

-- The type of diabetic disease that usually starts in childhood and requires daily injections of supplemental synthetic insulin to control blood glucose. Sometimes called juvenile or juvenile-onset diabetes.

Back 142

type 1 diabetes

Front 143

-- The type of diabetic disease that usually starts in later life and often can be controlled through diet and oral medications. Sometimes called adult-onset diabetes.

Back 143

type 2 diabetes

Front 144

-- Severe kidney failure resulting in the buildup of waste products within the blood. Eventually brain functions will be impaired.

Back 144

uremia

Front 145

-- Infections, usually of the lower urinary tract (urethra and bladder), which occur when normal flora bacteria enter the urethra and grow.

Back 145

urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Front 146

-- A tubular organ lined with mucous membranes, which is the lower portion of the birth canal.

Back 146

vagina

Front 147

-- Crampy, aching pain deep within the body, the source of which is usually hard to pinpoint; common with urologic problems.

Back 147

visceral pain

Front 148

-- A type of virus that is transmitted by mosquitos, and which usually only causes mild disease in humans, but can cause encephalitis, meningitis, or death. Symptoms, if exhibited, include fever, headache, body rash, and swollen lymph glands.

Back 148

West Nile virus (WNV)