Medical Terminology
This common medical suffix simply means inflammation or swelling, as seen in words like arthritis or tonsillitis.
What is -itis?
This muscular, four-chambered organ is responsible for pumping blood throughout the entire body.
What is the heart?
According to the official HOSA creed, members believe in the "education, assessment, and..." this third core pillar.
What is individual growth? (Alternatively: What is HOSA?)
Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by the body's inability to produce or properly use this specific pancreatic hormone.
What is insulin?
For standard adult CPR, the proper ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths is this.
What is 30 to 2?
Derived from prefixes meaning "slow" and "heart", this term describes a heart rate that is slower than normal (under 60 bpm).
What is bradycardia?
Located in the thigh, this is the longest, heaviest, and strongest bone in the human body.
What is the femur?
Gloves, gowns, masks, and face shields are all standard examples of this three-letter healthcare acronym.
What is PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?
In a standard adult blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg, the top number represents this type of pressure?
What is systolic pressure?
To help bystanders quickly recognize the signs of a stroke, EMS education uses this 4-letter acronym representing Face, Arms, Speech, and Time.
What is FAST?
In medical terms like "hypodermic" or "hypothermia", the prefix hypo means this.
What is low, under, or below?
These spongy, paired organs are the primary site for gas exchange, where oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is expelled.
What are the lungs?
This process, which can involve heat, chemicals, or radiation, completely destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores, on surgical instruments.
What is sterilization?
High blood pressure is frequently called this ominous "silent" nickname because it rarely shows obvious symptoms until damage is done.
What is the Silent Killer?
This life-saving medication is commonly administered via an auto-injector to treat severe, life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).
What is epinephrine (or an EpiPen)?
In words like "biology" or "dermatology", the suffix -ology translates to this phrase.
What is the study of?
These are the smallest blood vessels in the body, where the actual exchange of nutrients and gases between blood and tissues takes place.
What are capillaries?
This 1996 federal law, known by a five-letter acronym, protects sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent.
What is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)?
A yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice, typically indicates a problem with this specific abdominal organ.
What is the liver?
When applying a tourniquet to severe arterial bleeding on a limb, it should always be placed approximately 2 to 3 inches in this direction relative to the wound.
What is proximal (or above the wound, closer to the torso)?
If a patient is undergoing this surgical procedure, they are having a "nose job" or a surgical repair of the nose.
What is a rhinoplasty?
Located at the base of the brain, the pituitary gland is often called by this two-word nickname because it controls many other endocrine glands.
What is the Master Gland?
Taken by physicians historically and traditionally at graduation, this ancient oath requires clinicians to swear to uphold specific ethical standards, famously summarized as "do no harm."
What is the Hippocratic Oath?
While a cold or panic attack is considered "acute", conditions like asthma or osteoarthritis that develop slowly and persist over a long period are given this descriptive label.
What is chronic?
Derived from a French word meaning "to sort," this is the process emergency responders use to prioritize patients based on the severity of their injuries.
What is triage?