Medical Terminology Quiz: Chapter 2

"C – Anaphylaxis" is a topic in medical terminology.

Aerobic: the presence of air or oxygen. An anaerobic environment is the absence of air or oxygen.

An agonist enhances an expected response, while an antagonist inhibits or counteracts the effects of other drugs or unwanted effects.

An anion is an ion with a negative charge.

Aphasia is the inability or difficulty in speaking.

Apnea is the cessation of spontaneous respirations.

Ascites is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.

Atrophy is the shrinkage of a cell or muscle.

An aura is a sensation (may be visual, smell, taste, etc.) that may precede a migraine or seizure.

Benign refers to nonmalignant and often not problematic.

Bile is a fluid secreted by the liver, stored in the gallbladder.

Blebs are collections of air between the lung and visceral pleura that can result in spontaneous pneumothorax.

A bruit is an abnormal sound or murmur due to a narrowing of the vessel.

A bursa is a sac containing synovial fluid that helps ease friction between tendons and bone.

Carcinogens are cancer-causing agents.

Cartilage is a smooth and firm connective tissue.

A cation is an ion with a positive charge.

Cells are the basic unit of life.

Cerumen is ear wax found in the external ear canal.

Chyme is a mass of partially digested food passed from the stomach to the duodenum.

Cilia are small, hair-like structures.

Coma is a deep state of unconsciousness, unarousable.

Confabulation is the creation of made-up stories to fill in gaps of lost memory.

Congenital refers to conditions present at birth.

Contrecoup occurs at a site opposite of the side of impact.

Crepitus is a grating sound or sensation often caused by bone on bone rubbing or inflammation in joints.

Dehydration is an excessive loss of water or fluids from the body.

Demarcation refers to the line or visible mark between living and necrotic tissues.

Dendrites are found at the end of neurons and allow propagation of messages towards the cell body.

Dentalgia is toothache.

Dermatomes are specific areas that are supplied by a single spinal nerve.

Dysarthria is a poor articulation of speech, often resulting from affected muscles used in speaking.

Dyskinesia is a disorder related to involuntary muscle movements.

Dysplasia is abnormal growth of a cell.

Dysphagia is difficulty in swallowing.

Dysuria is difficult or painful urination.

Edema is the excess fluid in the interstitial spaces.

Epidemic refers to a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community.

Erythrocytes are red blood cells.

Facilitated diffusion is a carrier-mediated process where substances move from areas of high concentration to low concentration.

Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds or separates muscles.

Fecalith is a fecal impaction in the colon.

Fibrinogen is a blood protein used in the clotting cascade.

Frailty is characterized by exhaustion, slowed performance, weakness, weight loss, and low physical activity, often seen in the elderly.

Gait refers to walking or moving on foot.

Ganglia is a group of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system.

Gestation is the period from fertilization of the ovum to birth of the fetus.

Globulins are simple proteins classified by their size, mobility, and solution.

The glomerulus is a mass of capillaries found at the beginning of each nephron.

Hematuria is blood in the urine.

Hemiparesis is one-sided weakness, often seen in those with CVA's.

Hemolysis is the breakdown of red blood cells.

Hemophilia is a hereditary bleeding disorder due to missing factors for proper blood coagulation.

Hemoptysis is coughing up blood.

Host refers to an animal or human with exposure to an infectious agent.

Hydrocele is a fluid-filled sac along the spermatic cord.

Hymen is a mucous membrane covering the vaginal outlet.

Hyperemia is increased blood flow to an organ.

Hyperopia is a vision condition where distant vision is clear but near vision is often blurry.

Hyperplasia is an excessive increase in the number of cells.

Idiosyncrasy refers to an abnormal response to a drug.

Incontinence is the inability to control bowel or bladder function.

Infarction is the death of tissue from lack of oxygen.

Inferior means down or bottom, toward the feet.

Infiltration refers to how fluids pass into tissues.

Jejunum is a part of the small intestine.

Joule is a measurement of electrical energy.

Keloid is excessive scar tissue that extends beyond the original border.

Kyphosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine, with increased convexity as viewed laterally.

Lactate is a byproduct of lactic acid and is found in cells during metabolism.

Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx.

Lobules are small lobes.

Luxation is a complete dislocation.

Malaise is general weakness.

Malignant refers to cancerous and having the ability to metastasize or spread.

Mania: a mood disorder with symptoms including hyperactivity, agitation, excitement, and potential for violent or self-destructive behavior.

Melena: black, tarry stools that contain digested blood.

Metastasis: spreading of cancer cells from their original location to another.

Myalgia: muscle pain.

Necrosis: death of a cell or group of cells due to disease, ischemia, or injury.

Neoplasia: new and abnormal growth that may be malignant or benign.

Nephron: functional and structural unit of the kidney.

Nocturia: excessive urination at night.

Nucleus: controlling body of a cell.

Nystagmus: involuntary jerking of the eyes.

Oliguria: decreased ability to create or pass urine.

Orchitis: inflammation of the testicle that may be painful.

Osmolality: osmotic pressure of a solution.

Osmosis: diffusion of solvent through a membrane from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated one.

Ostomy: surgical opening from the inside of the body to the outside.

Ovum: female egg or egg cell.

Parenteral: any medication administration route other than oral.

Paresthesia: sensation of numbness, tingling, or "pins and needles."

Pathogen: cause of a disease.

Phobia: anxiety disorder that involves an intense, irrational fear of a specific object or activity.

Photophobia: abnormal sensitivity to light.

Plasma: fluid part of the blood.

Platelets: fragments of cells responsible for initiating the clotting process.

Poikilothermia: inability to regulate body temperature compared to the environment.

Polycythemia: increased number of red blood cells due to their production in the bone marrow, often caused by COPD and/or right ventricular failure/enlargement.

Polyuria: excessive urination.

Priapism: painful and persistent erection.

Pulsus paradoxus: decrease in systolic blood pressure during inspiration.

Quadriplegia: weakness or paralysis of all four extremities and the trunk, often caused by high-level cervical spine fracture.

Referred pain: pain felt at a site away from its origin.

Renin: enzyme secreted by the kidneys that is involved in angiotensin release, important for blood pressure maintenance.

Rhinitis: inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose.

Rhonchi: abnormal, course, rattling respiratory sounds caused by secretions in the bronchial airways or muscular spasm/constriction.

Sciatica: pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve.

Sclera: white, outer layer of the eyeball.

Slander: false statements about a person.

Solutes: minor components dissolved in a solution.

Stridor: high-pitched musical sound caused by an obstruction in the trachea or larynx.

Stroke volume: amount of blood ejected from one ventricle in a single heartbeat, normal range 60-100 mL.

Subluxation: partial dislocation.

Surfactant: substance that reduces the surface tension of pulmonary fluids.

Synapse: junction between two nerve cells, most commonly referred to in relation to sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Synergism: combined action of two agents is greater than the sum of their individual actions.

Tendons: bands of connective tissue that connect muscles to bones.

Tetany: involuntary contraction of skeletal muscles.

Tetraplegia: weakness or paralysis of all four extremities and the trunk (another term for quadriplegia).

Tidal volume: volume of air inspired or expired in a single breath.

Tort: personal harm or injury caused by civil or criminal wrongs.

Trismus: limited jaw range of motion caused by muscle spasms, commonly seen in tetanus.

Untoward effects: harmful side effects for the patient.

Urea: nitrogen-containing waste product.

Uremia: excess of urea and other nitrogen-based wastes in the blood.

Urticaria: hives.

Xiphoid process: smallest part of the sternum, can fracture with inappropriate hand placement during CPR.

Zone of coagulation: central area of a burn wound with the most intense contact with the thermal source.