NCM 101 HEALTH ASSESSMENT

MEDICAL TERMINILOGIES AND THEIR MEANINGS

1. Vital Signs- also called cardinal signs, are body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure (T, P, R,
BP)

2. Pyrexia- elevated body temperature; fever, hyperthermia (38 ˚C – 40 ˚C)

3. Hyperpyrexia- very high fever, temperature is 41˚C (105.8˚F) and above

4. Hypothermia- subnormal or low body temperature (e.g. 35.5˚C)

5. Tachycardia- rapid pulse rate; above 100 beats per minute (in adults)

6. Bradycardia- slow pulse rate; below 60 beats per minute (in adults)

7. Eupnea- normal breathing, it is quiet or noiseless, effortless and rhythmic breathing

8. Tachypnea- rapid breathing; above 20 breaths per minute (in adults)

9. Bradypnea- slow breathing; less than 12 breaths per minute (in adults)

10. Hyperventilation- deep, rapid respiration; also called Kussmaul’s breathing

11. Hypoventilation- slow, shallow respiration

12. Polypnea- deep respiration, rate is not affected

13. Oligopnea- shallow respiration, rate is not affected 14. Dyspnea- difficult and labored respiration
15. Orthopnea- difficulty of respiration in supine or lying position, relieved by upright or sitting position

16. Apnea- absence or cessation of breathing

17. Systolic Pressure- pressure of blood during ventricular contraction

18. Diastolic Pressure- pressure of blood during ventricular relaxation

19. Pulse Pressure- is the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure (Systolic Pressure – Diastolic Pressure =
Pulse pressure; e.g. 120mmHg – 80mmHg = 40mmHg); normal is 30 to 40mmHg

20. Hypertension- high blood pressure; over 140mmHg systolic pressure and/or above 90mmHg diastolic pressure for at
least 2 readings, 30 days apart
21. Hypotension- low blood pressure, systolic pressure below 100mmHg or diastolic pressure below 60mmHg

22. Normotension- normal blood pressure; average blood pressure (BP) is 120/80mmHg (in adults)

23. Inspection- assessing by using sense of sight

24. Palpation- examining the body by using sense of touch

25. Percussion- tapping body parts to produce sounds

26. Auscultation- listening to body sounds with the use of stethoscope

27.. Overweight- the weight of the person is 10 % greater than the ideal body weight (IBW)

28. Obesity- the weight of the person is 20% greater than the IBW

. 29. Acne- is an inflammatory condition of the skin which occurs in and around sebaceous glands

30. Erythema- is redness of the skin which may be associated with rashes, exposure to sun, elevated body temperature

31. Hirsutism- is excessive growth of hair especially among women

32. Hyperhidrosis- is excessive perspiration especially in the palms of the hands and soles of feet

33. Bromhidrosis- is foul – smelling perspiration

34. Vitiligo- are patches of hypopigmented skin caused by destruction of melanocytes in the area

35. Alopecia- hair loss or baldness

36. Pediculosis- infestation with lice

37..Supination- moving the forearm with the palms facing upward

38.Pronation- is moving the forearm with the palms facing downward

39.Plantar flexion- moving feet downward 40.Dorsiflexion- moving the feet upward at the ankle 41.Eversion- moving the
foot outward at the ankle 42.Inversion- moving the foot inward
43.Abduction- moving an arm or leg away from the body
44. Adduction- moving an arm or le toward the body 45. Flexion- bending a limb at a joint
46. Extension- straightening a limb at a joint

47. Rotation- moving the head around a central axis (moving head from side to side without flexion of the neck)

48. Protraction- moving a body part forward and parallel to the ground (e.g., moving the lower jaw forward, without moving
the neck.)

49. Retraction- moving a body part backward and parallel to the ground (e.g., moving the lower jaw backward without
moving the neck)

50. Elevation- raising a body part (e.g., raising the shoulders)

51. Depression- lowering a body part (e.g., lowering the shoulders)

52. Pallor- is paleness, due to decreased peripheral blood flow and oxygen supply

53. Cyanosis- is bluish discoloration o the skin due to inadequate oxygenation

54. Erythrocytes- red blood cells

55.Leukocytes- white blood cells

56.Thrombocytes- platelets

57. Polycythemia- elevated red blood cells and hemoglobin levels

58.Polycythemia vera- elevated red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet levels

59.Anemia- low red blood cells and hemoglobin levels

60.Vesicles- fluid – filled lesions, less than 1 cm 61.Bullae- fluid – filled lesions, greater than 1 cm