MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY Most medical terms are formed by a combination of basic word parts

Word Parts Word Roots • Act as the foundation of most medical terms • Usually indicate the involved body part • encephal/o brain • cardi/o heart • pneum/o lung

Suffixes • Found at the end of a word • Usually indicate the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease • -ectomy surgical removal of • -osis abnormal condition • -oma tumor

Prefixes • Found at the beginning of a word • Usually indicate location, time, number, or status • post- after • peri- around • tri- three

Combining Vowels *A combining vowel may be needed between the word root and the suffix to make the medical term easier to pronounce

Combining Vowels • A combining vowel – usually “o”- is used when the suffix begins with a consonant EX: neur/o (nerve) + -plasty (surgical repair) neuroplasty

Combining Vowels • A combining vowel is not usedwhen the suffix begins with a vowel EX: neur/o (nerve) + -itis (inflammation) neuritis

Combining Vowels • A combining vowel is always used when two or more root words are joined EX: gastr/o(stomach) + enter/o(intestine) gastroentero Gastroentero + -itis = gastroenteritis

Combining Vowels 4. A prefix does notrequire a combining vowel

Practice Prefix + Root Word + Suffix poly- neur/o -itis polyneuritis inflammation of many nerves

Practice Prefix + Root Word + Suffix hyper- gastr/o -algia excessive stomach pain hypergastralgia excessive stomach pain

Terminology Game

hyperemesis splenomegaly hemangioma bradypnea cholecystectomy hyperglycemia osteomyelitis endocarditis endoscopicretrogradecholangiopancreatography

Assigned Root Words • angi/o vessel • cardi/o heart • colon/o, col/o colon (lg intestine) • derm/o, dermat/o skin • enter/o intestine • gastr/o stomach • my/o muscle • neur/o nerve • trache/o trachea

Assigned Prefixes • hyper- excessive, above • hypo- less than, below • post- after • pre- before

Assigned Suffixes • -algia pain • -ectomy surgical removal of • -emesis vomit • -gram record • -ic pertaining to • -itis inflammation of • -ologist specialist • -ology study of

Assigned Suffixes • -ostomy artificial opening • -otomy incision into • -plasty surgical repair • -scopy visual exam • -ia condition • -ism condition • -osis condition • -otic condition

Physician’s Orders • Diagnosis: Congestive Heart Failure • Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing every 4 hours • Chest x-ray immediately • Arterial blood gases, complete blood count, electrolytes, and urinalysis • Intravenous of normal saline at 100 cubic centimeters per hour

Physician’s Orders • Dx: CHF • IPPB q4h • CXR stat • ABGs, CBC, lytes, UA • IV of NS @ 100cc/hr

Medical Abbreviations • Medical abbreviations are used to cut down on the time spent documenting patient care • Some abbreviations are universal - others are specific to areas of the country or medical facilities • Upper and lower case specific

Medical Abbreviations EX: pt = patient PT = physical therapy *It is YOUR responsibility to know the approved medical abbreviations for your medical facility

Assigned Abbreviations _ • c : with _ • s: without _ • p : after _ • a : before

Assigned Abbreviations • @ at • ad lib as desired • ASAP as soon as possible • c/o complains of • d day • Dx, dx diagnosis (what’s wrong) • h hour • MDmedical doctor • prnas needed • q every • pt patient • stat immediately • TLC tender, loving care

Medical Abbreviations • bid twice a day • qid four times a day • tid three times a day • qod every other day • tx treatment • Sx sign, symptom • VS vital signs • HOB head of bed • D/C discharge, discontinue • CXR chest x ray • Hx History • NPO Nothing by mouth

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY