TORONTO CENTRAL AMBULANCE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE

Medical Terminology
Abrasion scraping of the skin

Allergy where the body is hypersensitive to some foreign substance

Ambulatory walking or able to walk

a sudden, severe allergic reaction characterized by a sharp

drop in blood pressure, hives, and breathing difficulties that is
Anaphylactic Shock
caused by exposure to a foreign substance, such as a drug,
food or bee venom

an excessive localized enlargement of an artery caused by a

Aneurysm
weakening of the artery wall

severe and crushing chest pain due to an inadequate supply of

Angina Pectoris
oxygen to the heart muscle

Apnea temporary cessation of breathing

Arrhythmia variation from normal, or absence of heart rhythm

Arteriosclerosis hardening of the walls of the arteries

ASA acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) given to patients having chest pain

decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide in the blood

Asphyxia
and tissues

Aspiration drawing in of vomit or mucus into the respiratory tract

disease marked by periodic spasmodic contractions of the

Asthma
bronchial tubes resulting in difficulty in breathing

not malignant, has the ability to grow and be harmful but does
Benign
not spread to adjacent tissue

pressure of the blood exerted against the elastic artery walls

Blood Pressure
(systolic/diastolic)

Bloody Show vaginal discharge (blood) during labour

Bronchitis inflammation of the bronchial tubes

Carcinoma a form of cancer

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Cardiac pertains to the heart

Cardiac Arrest sudden or unexpected stoppage of effective heart action

Catheterization the placement of a tube into the body, usually for drainage

Cervical pertaining to the neck

Clammy cold sweats

a deep and prolonged unconsciousness from which the patient

Coma
cannot be roused

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) inadequate cardiac output for normal needs

Contusion injury to tissues without skin breakage i.e. bruise

Convulsions involuntary contraction of the voluntary muscles

blood supply to the heart is decreased by either arteriosclerosis

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
or a blood clot in the coronary artery

Crowning
first appearance of the baby's head in the vaginal opening

Cyanosis
blueness of skin due to oxygen deficiency in blood and tissues

Dilation and Curettage; a medical procedure in which the

uterine cervix is dilated and a curette is inserted into the uterus
D&C to scrape away the endometrium (as for the diagnosis or
treatment of abnormal bleeding or for surgical abortion during
the early part of the second trimester of pregnancy)

Dehydration lack or loss of water in the body and tissues

usually temporary mental disturbance noted by delusions,

Delirium
wandering speech and hallucinations

Depression lowered mental and physical activity

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Dermatitis inflammation of the skin

body does not manufacture enough insulin to regulate blood

Diabetes
sugar level

Diaphoresis profuse sweating (diaphoretic)

Diastole relaxation phase of heartbeat

Disorientation mental confusion - loss of recognition of time, place or persons

Dyspnea difficult or laboured breathing

Ectopic a pregnancy that is not in the uterus

Edema abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues

foreign substance or air bubble in blood vessel, which partially

Embolus
or completely obstructs the blood flow (embolism)

Emesis an act or instance of vomiting

fluid in the lungs causing loss of elasticity in the tissue makes

Emphysema
expiration of air difficult

Epilepsy chronic disease marked by attacks of convulsions

Medication given to patients having severe shortness of breath

Epinephrine (Adrenaline) or having an allergic reaction. ACPs also use epinephrine for
patients who are in cardiac arrest.

Epistaxis nosebleed

Gastrointestinal pertaining to the stomach and intestines i.e. GI bleed

Glaucoma condition of excess pressure of fluid in the eye

Hematemesis the vomiting of blood

A localized collection of blood in an organ, muscle or tissue

Hematoma
due to a break in the wall of a blood vessel

Hematuria blood in the urine

Hemophilia hereditary blood disease characterized by prolonged

coagulation time
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Hemoptysis coughing up blood from some part of the respiratory

tract
Hemorrhage external or internal escape of blood from a vessel

Hemothorax collection of blood in the pleural cavity

Hyperglycemia abnormally high amount of sugar in the blood

Hypertension chronic elevation in blood pressure i.e. high blood pressure

increase in rate or depth (or both) of respiration resulting in

Hyperventilation
more air in lungs than normal

Hypoglycemia abnormally low amount of sugar in the blood

Hysteria exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement

Insulin hormone (natural or artificial) to control body sugar level

Intubation insertion of a tube i.e. to open an airway

Isolation separation of persons having infectious diseases

Labour process of fetus being expelled from the uterus

excessive number of white blood cells, which are not fully

Leukemia
grown and cannot kill bacteria

growing worse and resisting treatment, generally life-

Malignant
threatening

Meninges three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord

Meningitis inflammation of the meninges

Miscarriage the expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is viable

damage to the heart muscle resulting from blocked or

Myocardial Infarction (MI)
restricted coronary artery

Myocardium the heart muscle

Nitroglycerin (Nitro) Medication given to patients having chest pain

shortness of breath which occurs when lying flat; the ability to

Orthopnea
breath only from the upright position
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Pallor absence of skin colour

Paralysis loss or impairment of the ability to move body parts

Paraplegia paralysis of the lower body and legs

Phlebitis inflammation of a vein

structure attached to the wall of the uterus that provides

Placenta oxygen and nourishment to the unborn child, and is expelled
shortly after birth

Pneumonia inflammation of the lung tissue

Pneumothorax presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity

Prostration extreme exhaustion

Pulse the beat of the heart as felt through the walls of the arteries

Quadriplegia paralysis affecting all four limbs

Rigor Mortis stiffening of the muscles after death

Sclerosis hardening of a part

Shock depression of body functions due to circulation failure

Signs observed changes in the body

an ACP alkalizing medication given to patients who are

Sodium Bicarbonate
hypoxic and prolonged VSA

Spasm sudden involuntary muscle contraction

Sphygmomanometer instrument for measuring blood pressure i.e. BP cuff

Stoma artificial opening between body cavity and body opening

loss of brain function(s) due to a disturbance in the blood

Stroke
supply to the brain i.e. apoplexy or CVA

Stupor a state of reduced responsiveness or partial unconsciousness

complaint or description of something associated to the illness

Symptoms
as stated by the patient

Systole contracting phase of the heartbeat

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blood clot which forms in a blood vessel or in the heart cavity

Thrombus
(thrombosis)

Is a set of symptoms that lasts a short time (short-lived) and

Transient Ischemic Attack
occurs because of a temporary lack of blood to part of the
(TIA)
brain. Sometimes referred to as 'mini-stroke'

Trauma wound or injury

sorting, according to initial examination, of casualties in a

Triage
disaster situation

Tumour abnormal growth of cells

Umbilical Cord attachment between unborn child and placenta

lack of environmental awareness – incapability to react to

Unconsciousness
sensory stimuli

Ventolin (Salbutamol) medication given to patients having shortness of breath