| A | B |
|---|
| electronic clipboard | clipboard-format device that is able to recognize handwriting and convert it to computer text |
| pertinent negative | exam findings that is not present or not true but is important to note (e.g. patient denies any shortness of breath) |
| special situation report | report on unusual, complex, or involved situations that is completed according to your service's standard operating procedures |
| subjective information | information from an individual point of view |
| triage tag | item affixed to a patient at a mulitple casualty-incident used to record chief complaint and injuries, vital signs, and treatment given |
| activated charcoal | powder, usually premixed with water, that will absorb some poisons and help prevent tehm from being absorbed by the body |
| epinephrine | drug that helps constrict the blood vessels and relax passages; it may be used to counter a severe allergic reaction |
| gel | semisolid paste form of a drug |
| indications | specific signs or circumstances under which it is appropriate to administer a drug to a patient |
| inhaler | spray device with a mouthpiece that contains an aerosol form of a medication that a patient can spray directly into his airway |
| oral glucose | medication given by mouth to treat a conscious patient (one who is able to swallow) with an altered mental status and a history of diabetes |
| oxygen | this gas, in its pure form, is used as a drug to treat any patient whose medical or traumatic condition causes them to be hypoxic, or low in oxygen |
| suspension | liquid form of a drug in which a powder is mixed with a slurry or water |
| tablet | solid form of a drug; compressed powder |
| trade name | brand name of a medication |
| agonal respirations | sporadic, irregular breaths that are usually seen just before respiratory arrest |
| bronchoconstriction | blockage of the brochi that lead from the trachea to the lungs |
| expiration | passive process in which the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm relax, causing the chest cavity to decrease in size and forcing air from the lungs, also called exhalation |
| inspiration | active process in whcih the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm contract, expanding the size of the chest cavity and causing aie to flow into the lungs; also called inhalation |
| retractions | pulling in of the accessory muscles to breathe |
| acute myocardial infarction | condition in whcih a portion of the myocardium dies as a result of oxygen starvation; often called a heart attack by laypersons |
| aneurysm | dilation, or balloning, of a weakened section of the wall of an artery |
| angina pectoris | pain in the chest that occurs when the blood supply to the heart is reduced and a portion of the heart muscle is not receiving enough oxygen |
| arrhythmia | irregular, or absent, heart rhythm |
| arteriosclerosis | condition in which artery walls become hard and stiff due to calcium deposits |
| asystole | when the heart has ceased generating electrical impulses |
| atherosclerosis | buildup of fatty deposits on the inner walls of arteries |
| cardiac compromise | blanket term for any kind of heart problem |
| congestive heart failure | condition of excessive fluid buildup in the lungs and/or other organs and body parts because of the inadequate pumping of the heart |
| coronary artery disease | disease that affect the arteries of the heart |
| edema | swelling resulting from a builup of fluid in tissues |
| embolism | clot of blood and plaque that has broken loose from the wall of an artery and then moves to smaller arteries and blocks blood flow |
| occlusion | blockage |
| pedal edema | accumulation of fluid in the feet or ankles |
| pulmonary edema | accumulation of fluid in the lungs |
| pulseless electrical activity | condition in which the heart's electrical rhythm remains relatively normal, yet the mechanical pumping activity fails to follow the electrical activity, causing cardiac arrest |
| sudden death | cardiac arrest that occurs witin two hours of the onset of symptoms |
| thrombus | clot formed of blood and plaque attached to the inner wall of an artery |
| ventricular fibrillation | condition in which the heart's electrical impulses are disorganized, preventing the heart muscle from contracting normally |
| ventricular tachycardia | condition in which the heartbeat is quite rapid; if rapid enough, it will not allow the heart's chambers to fill with enough blood betwen beats to produce blood flow sufficient to meet the body's needs |
| convulsions | uncontrolled muscular movements |
| diabetes mellitus | condition brough about by decreased insulin production; also called "sugar diabetes" or simply "diabetes" |
| epilepsy | medical condition that sometimes causes seizures |
| glucose | form of sugar that provides the body's basic source of energy |
| hyperglycemia | high blood sugar |
| hypoglycemia | low blood sugar |
| insulin | hormone produced by the pancreas or taken as a medication by many diabetics that aids cells in utilizing glucose |
| seizure | sudden change in sensation, behavior, or movement that can, in its most severe form, produce convulsions |
| status epilepticus | prolonged seizure, or when a person suffers two or more convulsive seizures without regaining full consciousness |
| stroke | blockage or bursting of a major blood vessel supplying the brain; also called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) |
