Definitions Flashcards
Ending care of a patient without that patient’s consent or without ensuring that someone with equal or greater training will continue that care
Abandonment
Airway, breathing, and circulation
ABCs
The part of the trunk below the ribs and above the pelvis
Abdomen
A rupturing of the abdominal aorta
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
An area located in the trunk that contains the liver, pancreas, intestines, stomach, and spleen
Abdominal cavity
A wound characterized by skin that has been scraped or rubbed away
Abrasion
A partial or complete detachment of a normally implanted placenta at more than 20 weeks gestation
Abruptio placentae
A condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Having a rapid or severe onset and then quickly subsiding
Acute
A range of clinical conditions, including unstable angina, that are due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle, resulting from coronary heart disease
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
One of three forms of high-altitude illness; not a specific disease but a group of caused symptoms caused by altitude
Acute mountain sickness (AMS)
An episode of chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle
Acute myocardial ischemia
Fluid buildup in the lungs
Acute pulmonary edema
Serious lung disease caused by a variety of conditions that lead to an increase in the quantity of fluid between the alveolar membrane and the surrounding pulmonary capillaries, which decreases the amount of oxygen the red blood cells can absorb
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
A person between 13 and 18 years of age
Adolescent
Isolated or infrequent gasping in the absence of other breathing in an unconscious person; can occur after the heart has stopped beating; not considered breathing.
Agonal respiration
The transmission of a disease by inhaling infected droplets that become airborne when an infected person coughs or sneezes
Airborne transmission
The pathway from air from the mouth and nose to the lungs
Airway
Small air sacs in the lungs where gases and waste are exchanged between the lungs and the blood
Alveoli
A progressive, degenerative disease that affects the brain, resulting in impaired memory, thinking, and behaviour
Alzheimer’s disease
A fluid-filled sac that encloses, bathes, and protects the developing baby
Amniotic sac
The complete removal or severing of a body part
Amputation
A small tear in the skin that lines the anus
Anal fissure
A splint that used an uninjured body part to imobilize an injured body part
Anatomical splint
The blockage of the airway by an anatomical structure, such as the tongue
Anatomical obstruction
A position in which a person is standing erect with arms down at the sides, and palms facing foward
anatomical position
Anatomy
The study of structure, including gross anatomy (structures that can be seen with the naked eye” and microscopic anatomy (structures seen under the microscope)
A condition in which the wall of an artery or vein weakens, balloons out, and ruptures
Aneurysm
Chest pain or pressure resulting when the heart needs more oxygen-rich blood than it is getting’ pain or pressure usually lasts less than 10 minutes; can be stable (occurring under exertion or stress) or unstable (occurring at rest, without reason); also called angina pectoris
Angina
Toward the front of the body
Anterior
A type of protein found in blood or other bodily fluids; used by the immune system to identify and neutralize pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses
Antibodies
Acute inflammation of the appendix
Appendicitis
A disturbance in the conduction of electrical impulses within the heart; also called dysrthythmia
Arrythmia
large blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all parts of the body
Arteries
An inflamed condition of the joints, causing pain and swelling and sometimes limiting motion
Arthritis
The use of sterile procedures to prevent bacteria from entering the body, thus limiting the risk of infection
Aseptic technique
Removal by suction of fluid and cells through a needle. Also refers to the accidental sucking in of food particles or fluids into the lungs.
Aspiration
A common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. These episodes may occur a few times a day or a few times per week. Depending on the person, they may become worse at night or with exercise.
Asthma
The stopping of all electrical activity in the heart
Asystole
The upper chambers of the heart
Atria
An unusual sensation or feeling a person may experience before an epileptic seizure; may be a visual hallucination; a strange sound, taste or smell; or an urgent need to get to safety
Aura
Listening to the internal sounds of the body; usually with a stethoscope
Auscultation
An electronic device that shocks a patient’s heart to stop certain arrhythmias
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
A wound in which a portion of the skin, and sometimes other soft tissue, is partially or completely torn away
Avulsion
A child up to one year of age
Baby
One-celled micro-organisms that may cause infections
Bacteria
A hand-held ventilation device consisting of a self-inflating bag, a one-way valve, and a face mask; can be used with or without supplemental oxygen
Bag-valve-mask (BVM)
The irreversible damage caused by the death of brain cells
Biological death
The passageway from the uterus to the vaginal opening through which a baby passes during birth
Birth canal
An organ in the pelvis in which urine is stored until released from the body
Bladder
An injury resulting from an explosion; caused by pressure waves, flying debris, or being thrown
Blast injury
Bacteria and viruses present in human blood and body fluids that can cause disease in humans
Blood-borne pathogens
The amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood
Blood glucose level (BGL)
The force exerted by blood against the blood vessel walls as it travels throughout the body
Blood pressure (BP)
A large artery located in the upper arm
Brachial artery
The delivery of a baby, feet or buttocks first
Breech birth
The air passages that lead from the trachea to the lungs
Bronchi
A disease causing excessive mucous secretions and inflammatory changes to the bronchi
Bronchitis
An injury to the skin or other body tissues caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, or radiation
Burn
Tiny blood vessels linking arteries and veins that transfer oxygen and other nutrients from the blood to all body cells and remove waste products
Capillaries
An estimate of the amount of blood flowing through the capillary beds, such as those in the fingertips
Capillary refill
A colourless, odourless gas; a waste product of respiration
Carbon dioxide
A sudden loss of blood flow resulting from the failure of the heart to effectively pump. Symptoms include loss of consciousness and abnormal or absent breathing.
Cardiac arrest
A technique that combines rescue breathing and chest compressions for a patient whose breathing and heart have stopped
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
A disease of the heart and blood vessels; commonly known as heart disease
Cardiovascular disease
Arteries located in the neck that supply blood to the head and neck
Carotid arteries
An elastic tissue that acts as a shock absorber when a person is walking, running, or jumping
Cartilage
The basic unit of all living tissue
Cell
A rigid device positioned around the neck to limit movement of the head and neck
Cervical collar
The upper part of the birth canal
Cervix
Burns that are caused by caustic chemical, such as strong acids or alkalis
Chemical burns
Forceful pushes on the chest; delivered to a patient with an obstructed airway in an attempt to expel any foreign object blocking the airway
Chest thrusts
A brief description, usually in the patients own words, of why EMS personnel were called to the scene
Chief complaint
For the purpose of providing emergency medical care, anyone who appears to be between the ages of about one year and puberty; when using an AED, anyone between the ages of one and eight
Child
The use of items, such as wooden blocks, placed against the wheels of a vehicle to help stabilize the vehicle
Choking
A fatty substance made by the body and found in certain food
Cholesterol
Persistent over a long period of time
Chronic
A disease characterized by a loss of lung function
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Sudden illnesses or injuries involving the heart or blood vessels
Circulatory emergencies
A group of organs and other structures that carry oxygen-rich blood and other nutrients throughout the body and remove waste
Circulatory system
The condition in which the heart stops beating and breathing stops
Clinical death
A fracture in which the skin is left unbroken
Closed fracture
