Medical Terminology Study Guide
Abduction: movement of a limb away from the midline or axis of the body
Abrasion: a rubbing or scraping off through unusual or abnormal action
Abscess: An abscess is an enclosed collection of liquefied tissue, known as pus, somewhere in the body It is the result of the body's defensive reaction to foreign material.
Acute: having severe symptoms and a short course.
Adduction: the movement of a limb toward the midline or axis of the body
Adverse reaction: A result of drug therapy that is neither intended nor expected in normal therapeutic use and that causes significant, sometimes life-threatening conditions.
Alkalosis: Abnormally high alkalinity of the blood and body fluids
Allergic reaction: A reaction resulting from hypersensitivity to an antigen
Alopecia: Hair loss
Ampule: a small glass or plastic container capable of being sealed so as to preserve its contents in a sterile condition; used principally for sterile parenteral solutions.
Anaphylaxis: Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening allergic reaction.
Antipyretic: An agent that reduces or prevents fever
Antiseptic: a substance that inhibits the growth and development of microorganisms without necessarily killing them
Anuria: complete suppression of urine formation and excretion
Anemia: reduction below normal of the number of erythrocytes, quantity of hemoglobin, or the volume of packed red cells in the blood; a symptom of various diseases and disorders
Aneurysm: a sac formed by localized dilatation of the wall of an artery, a vein, or the heart
Anus: the opening of the rectum on the body surface; the distal orifice of the alimentary canal.
Aphagia: refusal or inability to swallow.
Apnea: cessation of breathing
Ascites: Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen.
Asepsis: the prevention of contact with microorganisms.
Aseptic: free from infection or septic material.
Assessment: an evaluation or appraisal of a condition.
Ataxia: Loss of the ability to coordinate muscular movement
Atelectasis: Atelectasis is a collapse of lung tissue affecting part or all of one lung. This condition prevents normal oxygen absorption to healthy tissues.
Atresia: The absence or closure of a normal body orifice or tubular passage such as the anus, intestine, or external ear canal
Atrophy: A wasting or decrease in size of a body organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury, or lack of
use
Auditory: Of or relating to hearing, the organs of hearing, or the sense of hearing.
Auscultation: The act of listening for sounds made by internal organs, as the heart and lungs, to aid in the diagnosis of certain disorders.
Axillary: (Anatomy) of, relating to, or near the armpit
Benign: Having little or no detrimental effect; harmless:
Bolus: A round mass. A single, relatively large dose of a drug that is administered for therapeutic
purposes and taken orally. A concentrated mass of a pharmaceutical substance administered intravenously for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. A soft mass of chewed food within the mouth or alimentary canal.
Bradycardia: A slowness of the heartbeat, usually under 60 beats per minute in adults
Bradypnea: Abnormal slowness of respiration.