TERMINOLOGIES

apnea: Absence of respiration

body mass index (BMI): A measure of body adiposity
bradycardia: A slow (<50 beats/min) heart rate
bradypnea: Abnormally slow respiratory rate with regular rhythm and normal depth of
breathing; associated with central nervous system depressants and elevated intracranial pressure
eupnea: Normal respiration
hyperpnea: Increased depth and rate of respiration
hypertension: Elevated blood pressure
hypotension: Low blood pressure
Korotkoff sounds: Tapping sounds heard over the artery when blood pressure is taken
by the ausculatory method
orthostatic hypotension: A fall in SBP of 15 mm Hg or more when the patient assumes
a more upright position
pulse, bounding: A stronger than normal pulse
pulse, irregular: Pulse characterized by unevenly spaced beats
pulse, regular: Pulse characterized by evenly spaced beats
pulse, regularly irregular: Pulse characterized by a repeating pattern of unevenly
spaced beats
pulse, weak: A weaker than normal pulse
Kussmaul’s respiration: Deep, rapid respiration; characteristic of coma and diabetic
ketoacidosis
tachypnea: Increased respiratory rate
waist/hip ratio (WHR): A measure of abdominal fat

Skin
Fingernail and Toenail Terms
Beau’s lines: Transverse horizontal depressions associated with severe illness
clubbing: Increased angle (>180 degrees) between the base of the nail and nail bed; associated
with chronic arterial desaturation (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD])
koilonychias: Spooning of the nails; associated with iron deficiency anemia
onycholysis: Separation of the nail from the nail bed; associated with trauma,
malnutrition, and thyroid disease

Lesions, Primary
bulla: A large (>1 cm), circumscribed, elevated lesion containing serous fluid, such as blistering
from second-degree burns
ecchymosis: A large (>1 cm) hemorrhage, commonly known as a bruise
macule: A small (<1 cm), circumscribed, flat, discolored lesion, such as a freckle or flat nevus
• nodule: A large (>1 cm), solid lesion that may be below, even with, or above the surface of the
skin
papule: A small (<1 cm), elevated, solid lesion, such as a wart
patch: An area containing discolored, circumscribed, and flat or elevated groups of lesions, such
as a measles rash
petechia: A small (<2 mm) hemorrhage
plaque: A large (>1 cm), circumscribed, elevated, and solid lesion, such as in pityriasis rosea
impetigo
•pustule: A circumscribed, elevated lesion of varying size containing pus, such as in impetigo
splinter hemorrhages: Red or brown linear streaks in the distal extremity of the nail bed;
nonspecific
vesicle: A small (<1 cm), circumscribed, elevated lesion containing serous fluid, such as in
herpes zoster
wheal: An edematous and transitory papule; also called hive Lesions, Secondary
crust: A mass of dried exudates, such as in impetigo
fissure: A linear break in the skin
keloid: A hypertrophic scar
lichenification: Thickening and roughening of the skin with increased visibility of
normal skin lines
scale: Dead epidermal cells, such as dandruff
scar: Area in which normal skin tissue has been replaced by connective tissue
ulcer: An irregularly sized and shaped excavation that extends below the dermal skin layer, such
as a pressure sore
Osler’s node: A small, raised, discolored, tender lesion on the pads of the fingers and toes
associated with bacterial endocarditis

Head and Neck

acromegaly: A pituitary disorder characterized by a massive face with enlarged lower jaw,
prominent nose and eyebrows, and coarse facial features and large hands and feet
astigmatism: A condition characterized by unequal curvature of the cornea
audiometry: A test used to determine hearing levels
Bell’s palsy: Unilateral paralysis of the facial nerve
Chvostek’s sign: Contraction or spasm of the facial muscles associated with tetany and
hypocalcemia; elicited by tapping the face sharply with a finger just in front of the external
auditory meatus over the facial nerve
exophthalmos: Abnormal protrusion of the eyeball; associated with Graves’ disease
hairy tongue: Elongated papillae; benign; associated with antibiotic therapy
hirsutism: Increased hair growth in androgen-sensitive areas (e.g., beard or mustache areas);
associated with ovarian, adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary disorders and some medications
hyperopia: Farsightedness
Koplik’s spots: Small blue-white spots with red margins found on the mucous membranes near
the parotid duct; associated with measles; appear before the skin lesions are visible
microaneurysm: An abnormality visualized on funduscopic examination; associated
with diabetes; appears as a tiny red spot in the macular area
myopia: Nearsightedness
palpebral fissure: The space between the upper and lower eyelids when the eyes are open
periorbital edema: Puffiness of the upper and lower eyelids
Rinne test: A hearing test that compares air and bone conduction
Weber’s test: A hearing test that compares bone conduction in both ears
Chest and Lungs
barrel chest: An anterior/posterior diameter ratio of 1:1; associated with diseases characterized
by chronic air trapping (e.g., COPD)
bronchial breath sounds: Loud, high-pitched, normal breath sounds heard over the manubrium;
normal inspiratory/expiratory ratio of 1:3
crackles: Discontinuous, short-duration, bubbling sounds
crepitation: Crackling
dullness or flatness: Soft, medium-pitched percussion notes elicited over areas of increased
density
kyphoscoliosis: Combined kyphosis and scoliosis
kyphosis: Abnormal curvature of the spine with backward convexity
resonance: The loud, low-pitched percussion note elicited over normal lung tissue
scoliosis: Abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
stridor: Abnormal, high-pitched, continuous lung sounds heard over the upper airway
tympany: Loud, drumlike percussion notes elicited over hyperinflated areas
wheezes: Abnormal, high-pitched, continuous breath sounds; associated with airway obstruction

Cardiovascular System
bradycardia: A slow (<60 beats/min) heart rate
diastolic murmur: A murmur heard during diastole
hypertension: Elevated blood pressure
hypotension: Low blood pressure
orthostatic hypotension: A fall in SBP of 15 mm Hg or more when the patient assumes a more
upright position
S1: The first heart sound; produced by mitral and tricuspid valve closure
S2: The second heart sound; produced by aortic and pulmonic valve closure
S3: The third heart sound; produced by the sudden distention of the ventricular wall
during ventricular filling; associated with heart failure
systolic murmur: A murmur heard during systole
tachycardia: A rapid (>100 beats/min) heart rate
thrill: Palpable vibrations produced by turbulent blood flow Breasts and Axillae
regurgitant murmur: A murmur produced by backflow of blood across an incompetent valve
S4: The fourth heart sound; produced by increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and loss
of ventricular distensibility; associated with hypertension
tachycardia: A rapid (>100 beats/min) heart rate

Breasts and Axillae

gynecomastia: Hypertrophy of breast tissue; associated with liver cirrhosis, Addison’s disease,
Klinefelter’s syndrome, and some medications (e.g., spironolactone)
mastodynia: Painful breasts
peau d’orange: Breast skin with an orange-peel appearance (prominent pores); indicates
lymphatic obstruction and is an important sign of malignancy
retraction: Dimpling of the skin, nipple retraction or inversion
Abdomen
ascites: Free fluid in the peritoneal cavity
borborygmi: Very loud gurgling and tinkling bowel sounds audible without a stethoscope;
associated with hyperperistalsis
epigastric region: The upper central abdominal area
hypogastric region: The lower central abdominal area
peristalsis: The circular intestinal contractions that propel the intestinal contents forward
rebound tenderness: Pain elicited when abdominal hand pressure is abruptly removed;
associated with parietal peritoneal membrane inflammation
caput medusae: Dilated veins radiating from the umbilicus; associated with portal vein
obstruction
Rovsing’s sign: Right lower quadrant pain elicited by left-sided abdominal pressure; associated
with appendicitis
striae: Discolored stripes of skin that result from ruptured elastic fibers; striae are pinkish or
bluish when relatively new and more whitish when older
suprapubic region: The abdominal area just above the pubic arch
umbilical region: The area around the umbilicus
Genitourinary System
angiokeratoma: Red, slightly raised, pinpoint benign scrotal lesions; common after age 50 years
hancre: A hard infectious venereal ulcer
chancroid: A soft infectious venereal ulcer
condylomata acuminata: Venereal warts
gravid: Pregnant
hernia: Protrusion of an organ through the muscular wall that normally contains the organ
hydrocele: Serous fluid–containing cavity
Papanicolaou (Pap) test: Screening technique for cervical carcinoma
prostatic hypertrophy: Enlarged prostate

Musculoskeletal System
extension: The bending of a joint to bring the joint parallel to the long axis
flexion: The bending of a joint to bring the parts of the joint into close approximation
gait: The way a person walks
inversion: The turning of the toes onto the small toes (bottom of the foot turned inward)
kyphosis: Convex backward spinal curvature •
lordosis: Anteroposterior curvature of the spine (i.e., an accentuation of the normal
lumbar curve)
plantar flexion: Downward flexion of the foot
radial deviation: Deviation of the fingers toward the radial bone
rheumatoid nodules: Firm, nontender, unattached subcutaneous nodules at pressure
points (e.g., elbow, back of forearm) associated with rheumatoid arthritis
scoliosis: Lateral curvature of the spine
ulnar deviation: Deviation of the fingers toward the ulnar bone
Neurologic System
abduction: Movement away from the midline of the body
abstract reasoning: The ability to think beyond concrete terms
adduction: Movement toward the midline of the body
affect: The external expression of emotion
anosmia: Complete loss of the sense of smell
anosognosia: The inability to recognize one’s own impairment
aphasia: The inability to speak
aphonia: The loss of voice
chorea: Involuntary movement characterized by brief, rapid, irregular, jerky motions
clonus: Rhythmic oscillation between extension and flexion
coma: An altered state of consciousness characterized by complete loss of consciousness,
unresponsiveness to stimuli, and absence of voluntary movement
dementia: Acquired memory impairment
dysarthria: Poorly coordinated, irregular speech
dyscalculia: Difficulty calculating
dyslexia: Difficulty reading
dysphasia: Hesitancy and error in choosing words when speaking
dysphonia: Hoarseness
dystonia: Abnormal slow, twitching, irregular movements
fasciculations: Involuntary movements characterized by fine twitching that rarely moves a joint
flexion: The bending of a joint to bring the parts of the joint into close approximation
myoclonus: Involuntary movements characterized by sudden, brief, unpredictable jerks
neologism: The use of invented words or the use of words with new meanings
nystagmus: Involuntary oscillation of the eyeball; described as lateral if the eyeball oscillates
from side to side, vertical if the eyeball oscillates up and down, and rotatory if the eyeball
oscillates in a circle
ophthalmoplegia: Optic movement disorder
pronation: Placement into a downward-facing position