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150 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Muscles not normally used during normal breathing; includes the sternocleidomastoid muscles of the neck.
accessory muscles
The rate of change in velocity.
acceleration
Chemical neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system.
acetylcholine (ACh)
Referring to fat tissue.
adipose
Abnormal.
adventitious
Metabolism that can proceed only in the presence of oxygen.
aerobic metabolism
The resistance against which the ventricle contracts.
afterload
A determination made when assessing mental status by looking at whether the patient is oriented to four elements: person, place, time, and the event itself. Each element provides information about different aspects of the patient’s memory.
alert and oriented (A ¥ O)
Balloon-like clusters of single-layer air sacs that are the functional site for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs.
alveoli
The metabolism that takes place in the absence of oxygen; the principal product is lactic acid.
anaerobic metabolism
An unusual or exaggerated allergic reaction to foreign protein or other substances.
anaphylaxis
The angle at which an object hits another; this characterizes the force vectors involved and has a bearing on patterns of energy dissipation.
angle of impact
The impairment of language that affects the production or understanding of speech and the ability to read or write.
aphasia
Air bubbles in the arterial blood vessels.
arterial air embolism
Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
ascites
Entry of fluids or solids into the trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
aspiration
A method of assessing mental status by determining whether a patient is Awake and alert, responsive to Verbal stimuli or Pain, or Unresponsive; used principally in the initial assessment.
AVPU
Assembly of radio equipment consisting of at least a transmitter, receiver, and antenna connection at a fixed location.
base station
Irregular pattern, rate, and depth with intermittent periods of apnea; results from increased intracranial pressure
Biot respirations
Transmission of physiologic data, such as an ECG, from the patient to a distant point of reception (commonly referred to in EMS as “telemetry”).
biotelemetry
The shattering effect of a shock wave and its ability to cause disruption of tissues and structures.
brisance
An abnormal “whoosh”-like sound of turbulent blood flow moving through a narrowed artery.
bruit
The shock or hypoperfusion caused by a burn injury and the tremendous loss of fluids.
burn shock
The volume of blood the heart can pump in one minute
cardiac output
Point at which the trachea bifurcates into the right and left mainstem bronchi.
carina
cavitationCavity formation; shock waves that push tissues in front of and lateral to the projectile and may not necessarily increase the wound size or cause permanent injury but can result in cavitation.
cavitation
Low-power portable radios that communicate through an interconnected series of repeater stations called “cells.”
cellular telephones
The factors that cause cells to migrate into an area.
chemotactic factors
The problem for which the patient is seeking help.
chief complaint
A condition that develops when edema and swelling result in increased pressure within soft tissues, causing circulation to be compromised, possibly resulting in tissue necrosis.
compartment syndrome
The early stage of shock, in which the body can still compensate for blood loss. The systolic blood pressure and brain perfusion is maintained.
compensated shock
Pattern of understanding based on initially obtained information.
concept formation
Treatment based on a protocol or algorithm without adequate knowledge of the patient being treated.
cookbook medicine
Significant metabolic derangement that can lead to renal failure and death. It develops when crushed extremities or other body parts remain trapped for prolonged periods.
crush syndrome
A composite picture of a number of factors in a patient’s life, such as dietary habits, current medications, allergies, exercise, alcohol or tobacco use, recreational drug use, sleep patterns and disorders, and immunizations.
current health status
Slightly bluish, grayish, slatelike, or dark purple discoloration of the skin due to hypoxia.
cyanosis
The process of formulating a conclusion based on comparing the patient’s condition with information from your training, education, and past experiences.
data interpretation
The late stage of shock, when blood pressure is falling.
decompensated shock
The continuous shedding of the dead cells on the surface of the skin.
desquamation
The part of the assessment process in which a detailed area-by-area exam is performed on patients whose problems cannot be readily identified or when more specific information is needed about problems identified in the focused history and physical exam.
detailed physical exam
Occurs when there is widespread dilation of the resistance vessels (small arterioles), the capacitance vessels (small venules), or both.
distributive shock
Radio system using more than one frequency to permit simultaneous transmission and reception.
duplex
Extravasation of blood under the skin to produce a “black-and-blue” mark.
ecchymosis
The portion of the blood ejected from the ventricle during systole.
ejection fraction
A protein that gives the skin its elasticity.
elastin
The energy delivered in the form of high voltage.
electrical energy
First aid instructions given by specially trained dispatchers to callers over the telephone while an ambulance is en route to the call.
emergency medical dispatch
A message is put into a code before it is transmitted.
encoded
A surgical cut through the eschar or leathery covering of a burn injury to allow for swelling and minimize the potential for development of compartment syndrome in a circumferentially burned limb or the thorax.
escharotomy
Passive movement of air out of the lungs; also called exhalation.
expiration
The amount of air that you can exhale following a normal exhalation; average volume is about 1,200 mL.
expiratory reserve volume
The federal agency that has jurisdiction over interstate and international telephone and telegraph services and satellite communications, all of which may involve EMS activity.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
A determination of what a paramedic thinks is the patient’s current problem, usually based on the patient history and the chief complaint.
field diagnosis
In radio communications, the number of cycles per second of a signal, inversely related to the wavelength.
frequency
An infection commonly caused by C perfringens. The result is tissue destruction and gas production that may lead to death.
gangrene
The overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care; based on the patient’s surroundings, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint.
general impression
The first step in the formation of urine; calculated to determine renal function.
glomerular filtration
Opening between the vocal cords.
glottis
Abdominal thrusts performed to relieve a foreign body airway obstruction.
Heimlich maneuver
Passage of stools containing bright red blood.
hematochezia
Stopping hemorrhage.
hemostasis
Unit of frequency equal to 1 cycle per second.
hertz (Hz)
Information about the chief complaint, obtained using the OPQRST mnemonic.
history of the present illness
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.
homeostasis
Secondary control of breathing that stimulates breathing based on decreased PaO2 levels.
hypoxic drive
A bursting inward.
implosion
The part of the assessment process that helps you identify immediately or potentially life-threatening conditions so that you can initiate lifesaving care.
initial assessment
The active process of moving air into the lungs; also called inhalation.
inspiration
An abnormal scar commonly found in people with darkly pigmented skin. It extends over the wound margins.
keloid scar
A drug with sedative, analgesic, and hypnotic properties; created in the laboratory from phencyclidine (PCP).
ketamine
The energy associated with bodies in motion, expressed mathematically as half the mass times the square of the velocity.
kinetic energy
Sounds related to blood pressure that are heard by stethoscope.
Korotkoff sounds
Outward curve of the thoracic spine.
kyphosis
Spasmodic closure of the vocal cords.
laryngospasm
Inward curve of the lumbar spine just above the buttocks. An exaggerated form of lordosis results in the condition known as swayback.
lordosis
A detailed version of the rule of nines chart that takes into consideration the changes in body surface area brought on by growth.
Lund and Browder chart
Cells that developed from the monocytes that provide the body’s first line of defense in the inflammatory process.
macrophages
The energy that results from motion (kinetic energy) or that is stored in an object (potential energy).
mechanical energy
The way in which traumatic injuries occur; the forces that act on the body to cause damage.
mechanism of injury (MOI)
Uncertainty regarding the specific cause of the patient’s condition.
medical ambiguity
The pigment that gives skin its color.
melanin
Passage of dark, tarry stools.
melena
The amount of air that moves in and out of the respiratory tract per minute.
minute volume
A blotchy pattern on the skin; a typical finding in states of severe protracted hypoperfusion and shock.
mottling
Method by which simultaneous transmission of voice and ECG signals can be achieved over a single radio frequency.
multiplex
A protein found in muscle that is released into the circulation after crush injury or other muscle damage and whose presence in the circulation may produce kidney damage.
myoglobin
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing.
nature of illness (NOI)
A device for producing a fine spray or mist that is used to deliver inhaled medications.
nebulizer
Insertion of a 14- to 16-gauge over-the-needle IV catheter (angiocath) through the cricothyroid membrane and into the trachea.
needle cricothyrotomy
Drawing of air into the lungs; airflow from a region of higher pressure (outside the body) to a region of lower pressure (the lungs); occurs during normal (unassisted breathing).
negative-pressure ventilation
This occurs when there is a block to blood flow in the heart or great vessels.
obstructive shock
The part of the assessment process in which problems are reevaluated and responses to treatment are assessed.
ongoing assessment
Also called narcotics; potent analgesics with sedative properties; includes drugs such as fentanyl (Sublimaze) and alfentanil (Alfenta).
opioids
A drop in systolic blood pressure when moving from a sitting to a standing position.
orthostatic hypotension
A nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent; used to maintain paralysis following succinylcholine-facilitated intubation; also called Pavulon.
pancuronium
Tingling or sensory change.
parasthesias
A formula that recommends giving 4 mL of normal saline for each kilogram of body weight, multiplied by the percentage of body surface area burned; sometimes used to calculate fluid needs during lengthy transport times.
Parkland formula
Information obtained during the patient history, such as the patient’s general state of health, childhood and adult diseases, surgeries and hospitalizations, psychiatric and mental illnesses, or traumatic injuries, which may relate to the patient’s current problem.
past medical history
A fracture that occurs when normal forces are applied to abnormal bone structures.
pathologic fracture
Information about the patient’s chief complaint, present symptoms, and previous illnesses.
patient history --
Nerves that innervate the diaphragm.
phrenic nerves --
The process by which quantifiable, objective information is obtained from a patient about his or her overall state of health.
physical examination --
Additional dead space created by intrapulmonary obstructions or atelectasis.
physiologic dead space --
A fracture that occurs when abnormal forces are applied to normal bone structures.
physiologic fracture --
Area of the brain stem that has an inhibitory influence on inspiration.
pneumotaxic center --
Forcing of air into the lungs.
positive-pressure ventilation --
The amount of energy stored in an object, the product of mass, gravity, and height, that is converted into kinetic energy and results in injury, such as from a fall.
potential energy --
A drop in the systolic BP of 10 mm Hg or more; commonly seen in patients with pericardial tamponade or severe asthma.
pulsus paradoxus --
Rattling, bubbling, or crackling lung sounds.
rales --
A unique and specialized assessment performed between the initial assessment and the focused physical exam of a trauma patient, usually on patients with a significant mechanism of injury, assessing specific parts of the entire body.
rapid trauma assessment --
Miniature transmitter that picks up a radio signal and rebroadcasts it, extending the range of a radio communications system.
repeater --
A system that assigns percentages to sections of the body, allowing calculation of the amount of skin surface involved in the burn area.
rule of nines --
A system that estimates total body surface area burned by comparing the affected area with the size of the patient’s palm, which is roughly equal to 1% of the patient’s total body surface area.
rule of palm --
A term that implies that it is unsafe to continue using an oxygen cylinder with a pressure of less than 200 psi.
safe residual pressure --
A surgical procedure to improve the appearance of a scar, reestablish function, or correct disfigurement from soft-tissue damage, surgical incision, or lesion.
scar revision --
An applied force or pressure exerted against the surface and layers of the skin as tissues slide in opposite but parallel planes.
shearing --
Indications of illness or injury that the examiner can see, hear, feel, smell, and so on.
signs --
Method of radio communication using a single frequency that enables transmission or reception of voice or an ECG signal but is incapable of simultaneous transmission and reception.
simplex --
Narrowing.
stenosis --
The amount of blood that the left ventricle ejects into the aorta per contraction.
stroke volume --
Beneath the skin.
subcutaneous layer --
Located above the glottic opening, as in the upper airway structures.
supraglottic --
A substance formed in the lungs that helps keep the small air sacs or alveoli from collapsing and sticking together; a low level in a premature baby contributes to respiratory distress syndrome.
surfactant --
The pain, discomfort, or other abnormality that the patient feels.
symptoms --
The pattern of tautness of the skin, which is arranged over body structures and affects how well wounds heal.
tension lines --
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.
thermoregulation --
Clenched teeth caused by spasms of the jaw muscles.
trismus --
Sharing of radio frequencies by multiple agencies or systems.
trunking --
Loss of elasticity in the skin.
turgor --
An anatomic space, or “pocket,” located between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis; an important anatomic landmark for endotracheal intubation.
vallecula --
The ability or inability to see, and how well one can see.
visual acuity (VA) --
Deformity of the hand, fingers, and wrist resulting from damage to forearm muscles; develops from muscle ischemia and is associated with compartment syndrome.
Volkmann contracture --
A pattern of automobile-pedestrian injuries in children and people of short stature in which (1) the bumper hits pelvis and femur, (2) the chest and abdomen hit the grille or low hood, and (3) the head strikes the ground.
Waddell triad --
The distance in a propagating wave from one point to the corresponding point on the next wave.
wavelength --
An injury to the cervical vertebrae or their supporting ligaments and muscles, usually resulting from sudden acceleration or deceleration.
whiplash --
Soft plastic, nonrigid catheters; also called French catheters.
whistle-tip catheters --
The reddened area surrounding the leathery and sometimes charred tissue that has sustained a full-thickness burn.
zone of coagulation --
In a thermal burn, the area that is least affected by the burn injury.
zone of hyperemia --
The peripheral area surrounding the zone of coagulation that has decreased blood flow and inflammation. This area can undergo necrosis within 24 to 48 hours after the injury, particularly if perfusion is compromised due to burn shock.
zone of stasis --
Sideways curvature of the spine.
scoliosis --
A quick and assessment of the scene and its surroundings made to provide information about scene safety and the MOI or NOI, before you enter and begin pt care.
Scene size-up
The clinical course that usually begins within hours of exposure to a radiation source. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, and headache. The long-term symptoms are dose-related and are hematopoietic and gastrointestinal.
acute radiation syndrome --
The combination of a narrowed pulse pressure, muffled heart tones, and JVD associated with cardiac tamponade; usually resulting from penetrating chest trauma.
Beck’s triad --
Monitor the levels of O2, CO2, and the pH of the CSF and then provide feedback to the respiratory centers to modify the rate and depth of breathing based on the body's needs at any given time.
chemorecepotors --
The combination of a slowing pulse, rising blood pressure, and erratic respiratory patterns; a grave sign for patients with head trauma.
Cushing’s reflex --
An emergency call-in system in which additional information such as the phone number and location of the caller is recorded automatically through sophisticated telephone technology and the dispatcher need only confirm the information on the screen.
enhanced 9-1-1 system --
The amount of air that can be inhaled after a normal inhalation; the amount of air that can be inhaled in addition to the normal tidal volume.
inspiratory reserve volume --
The principle that a body at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an outside force.
Newton’s first law of motion --
The principle that the force that an object can exert is the product of its mass times its acceleration.
Newton’s second law of motion --
Attaches to the stem of the oxygen cylinder, and reduces the high pressure of gas to a safe range (about 50 psi).
theraphy regulator