Common Medical Terms
Common Medical Diagnoses
Neurological
Feeding/Nutrition
Pulmonary
100

H&P

History & Physical

100

PNA

What is the difference between HAP, VAP, CAP?

Pneumonia

Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia

Ventilator-Acquired Pneumonia

Community-Acquired pneumonia

100

SDH

Subdural Hematoma

100

NPO

Nil per oral - "nothing by mouth!"

100

ETT

Endotracheal Tube

200

MRI vs. CT

Which is more detailed?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Computerized Tomography

MRI is far more detailed, CT is quicker!

200

STEMI

What is this commonly known as?

ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction 

Heart attack

200

CVA

Cerebrovascular Accident

200

OG vs. NGT vs. GT vs. GJ-Tube

Orogastric tube (mouth to stomach)

Nasogastric tube (nose to stomach)

Gastronomy tube (stomach)

Gastronomy-Jejunal tube (stomach to jejunum)

200

HFNC

Why is this important for swallowing?

High Flow Nasal Cannula

May impact respiratory-swallow coordination, or indicate generally unstable respiratory status

300

AMS

How might this impact your evaluation?

Altered Mental Status


300

HTN and HLD

What are they commonly known as?

Hypertension (high blood pressure) and Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol)

300

ALS vs. PLS

What is the difference?

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Primary Lateral Sclerosis

300

TPN

Why would someone need this?

Total parenteral nutrition

Non-function bowel

300

PMV

What patients would you use PMV with?

Passy-Muir Valve

Tracheostomized patients

400

CXR

Why is this important for SLPs?

Chest X-Ray

RLL PNA often attributed to aspiration-mediated pneumonia, which could be related to oropharyngeal dysphagia

400

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

400

MG

What symptoms might accompany an MG-flare that SLPs can treat?

Myasthenia Gravis

Bulbar weakness (dysarthria, dysphagia)

400

SBO

Why is this important to SLP?

Small bowel obstruction

Often, patient has to be NPO until surgical intervention can be completed

400

BiPAP

Bilateral Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)

500

RR?

What is range of normal?

Respiratory Rate 

12-20 bpm at rest

500

ESRD

End-Stage Renal Disease

500

MCA vs. PCA

Middle Cerebral Artery vs. Posterior Cerebral Artery

500

BSE

Bedside swallow evaluation

500

Tachypneic

What does this mean for adults?

respiratory rate of more than 20 breaths per minute 

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