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Definition
arterial blood gas
Blood draw from an artery used to assess patient’s acid/base status. |
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atrioventricular
Having to do with both the atria and the ventricles of the heart (e.g. atrioventricular node) |
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aortic valve replacement
Prosthetic valve placed when the aortic valve is diseased. It can be bioprosthetic or mechanical. |
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Definition
blood urea nitrogen
Test used to measure the amount of nitrogen in the blood and can correlate with renal function. It is a byproduct of protein breakdown by the liver and is removed by the kidneys. If it is elevated then there may be a decrease of kidney function. |
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Definition
coronary artery bypass graft
Surgical treatment for severe coronary artery disease in which a vein or artery is removed from one part of the body and is connected to the blocked coronary artery. This forms a bypass of blood around the blockage. |
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Definition
coronary artery disease
Build up of cholesterol (plaque) in the arteries that supply blood to the heart that causes them to be hardened or narrowed. The build-up is called atherosclerosis and can lead to angina or a heart attack. |
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Definition
computerized (axial) tomography
Medical imaging procedure that produces tomographic (slices) images of the body. The cross-sectional images are used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. |
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Definition
cardiac output
The volume of blood being pumped by heart by a left or right ventricle in the time interval of one minute. Combined sum of output from the right ventricle and the output from the left ventricle during the phase of systole. An average resting cardiac output would be 5.6 L/min for a human male and 4.9 L/min for a female. |
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Definition
cerebrovascular accident
Also known as a stroke, it is the sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is compromised. It can be due to blockage of an artery (ischemia) or rupture of an artery (hemorrhage). |
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Definition
cerebral spinal fluid
Clear colorless fluid that acts as a cushion or buffer for the brain and provides mechanical and immunologic protection. It also serves to autoregulate cerebral blood flow. It occupies the subarachnoid space, the ventricles and around the spinal cord |
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Term
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Definition
digital rectal exam
Enables the clinician access to assess the prostate by palpating (pressing on) the prostate through the anus in males. It is also used in females to assess the posterior side of the vagina |
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Definition
deep vein thrombosis
Blood clot in a deep vein, usually the legs. The patient can be asymptomatic or have non-specific signs such as pain, swelling, redness, or warmness. A serious complication of a DVT is when the clot or portion of the clot dislodges (embolizes) and travels to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE is life-threatening. |
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Term
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Definition
family history
The part of a medical history that includes information about a patient’s family. It can be used to determine risk of current or future diseases in some cases. |
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Term
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Definition
head, eyes, ears, nose, throat
Part of the physical exam of a patient that includes these areas |
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Term
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Definition
hemoglobin and hematocrit
Laboratory values that assess a patient’s oxygen capacity of the blood and red blood cell production |
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Term
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Definition
history of present illness
Description of the reason the patient is presenting to see a physician or other practitioner at a clinic or hospital |
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Term
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Definition
lumbar puncture
Also known as a spinal tap is diagnostic or therapeutic procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid. It is collected for analysis to diagnose meningitis, autoimmune or cancer, and can be therapeutic for increased intracranial pressure. |
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Definition
magnetic resonance imaging
Test that uses a magnetic field and pulses radio waves to make pictures of organs and structures that cannot be seen using Xray, ultrasound, or CT. It is used to find tumors, bleeding, injury, blood vessel disease, or infection. |
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Definition
mitral valve replacement
Surgically placed heart valve that replaces the diseased mitral valve. It can be mechanical or bioprosthetic |
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Term
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Definition
no apparent distress
Describes the general appearance of a patient when they present to the clinic or hospital |
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Term
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Definition
no known allergies
No documented allergies. May also be seen as NKDA – no known drug allergies |
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Definition
nothing by mouth
If the patient is going to have a procedure or surgery in which they cannot have anything in their bowel the practitioner may order that they not have anything orally. This is also the case if they have a bowel obstruction or other reason that nothing can be eaten or taken orally |
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Definition
pupils equal round and reactive to light
Documents normal function of the eye on eye exam. Also used to determine if a patient may have neurological damage like a stroke |
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Definition
pulmonary function tests
Used to identify or quantify the degree of pulmonary impairment. It involves the complete evaluation of the respiratory system including patient history, physical examinations, chest x-ray examinations, arterial blood gas analysis, and tests of pulmonary function |
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Term
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Definition
past medical history
Obtained from patient and patient records and includes diagnoses, chronic diseases, and in some cases surgical history |
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Definition
premature ventricular contraction
Also known as a premature ventricular complex; an event in which the heartbeat is initiated in the heart ventricles rather than by the sinoatrial node (where the heartbeat is normally initiated). |
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Definition
right lower quadrant
Area of the abdomen when the abdomen is divided into 4 quadrants. Pain here may indicate appendicitis |
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Definition
regular rate and rhythm
Used to describe the normal heart rhythm on the cardiovascular exam |
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Definition
return to clinic
Term used to describe when a patient should have their next follow-up visit in clinic |
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Definition
social history
History obtained from the patient about tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use. May also include marital status, occupation, insurance status and other pertinent social information |
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Definition
shortness of breath
Description used by healthcare providers to describe when a patient appears out of breath. Used in assessing level of pulmonary congestion in heart failure patients or respiratory difficulty in COPD patients |
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Definition
thyroid stimulating hormone
Hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland which stimulates the thyroid gland to release T4 which is a hormone required in most metabolism of all the tissues of the body |
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Definition
urinalysis
Collection of urine sample used to assess renal function status and determine if there may be a urinary tract infection |
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Definition
upper respiratory infection
Infection of the sinuses or upper airways |
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Definition
well developed, well nourished
A description of a patient, sometimes used in the physical exam |
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Definition
within normal limits
Used to describe laboratory values or physician exam results when there are no abnormalities |
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