PREFIXES
This prefix, found in a word for high blood pressure, means "above" or "excessive."
What is hyper-?
This suffix means "inflammation," as in the term for a swollen tendon.
What is -itis?
This root word means "heart," as in cardiology.
What is cardi/o?
This is the position of a patient lying face up.
What is supine?
This abbreviation tells a nurse to give a medication twice a day.
What is BID?
This prefix means "below" or "deficient," as in a word for low oxygen levels.
What is hypo-?
This suffix means "surgical removal," as in the term for taking out an inflamed appendix.
What is -ectomy?
This root word means "stomach," as in gastritis.
What is gastr/o?
This plane divides the body into left and right sections.
What is the sagittal plane?
This abbreviation means the patient should have nothing by mouth.
What is NPO?
This prefix means "around," as in the term for the sac surrounding the heart.
What is peri-?
This suffix means "to look at" or "examine with an instrument," as in a colonoscopy.
What is -scopy?
This root word means "kidney," as in nephrosis.
What is nephr/o?
This directional term means "toward the midline" of the body.
What is medial?
This abbreviation means an order should be carried out immediately.
What is STAT?
This prefix means "difficult" or "painful," as in a word for labored breathing.
What is dys-?
This suffix means "excessive discharge or bleeding," as in a word for severe menstrual bleeding.
What is -rrhagia (menorrhagia)?
This root word means "ear," as in the term for an ear infection.
What is ot/o (otitis)?
This term describes movement that brings a limb toward the midline of the body (the opposite of abduction).
What is adduction?
This abbreviation means a medication should be given four times a day.
What is QID?
A patient reports excessive thirst (polydipsia), excessive urination (polyuria), and excessive hunger (polyphagia). This shared prefix means "many/excessive" — what endocrine disease is strongly suggested by this symptom triad?
What is diabetes mellitus?
A 22-year-old presents with sudden, severe pain in the lower right abdomen, fever, and rebound tenderness. Labs show an elevated white blood cell count. What is the diagnosis? Fun fact, my brother had this three times
What is appendicitis?
A patient has blood in the urine, flank pain, swelling around the eyes, and protein in a urinalysis. What is the diagnosis?
What is nephritis (glomerulonephritis)?
A trauma patient has a stab wound in the upper-left area of the abdomen, just below the ribs. Which abdominal region is this, and which organ is at the highest risk of injury?
What is the left hypochondriac region, and what is the spleen?
A chart reads: "Pt c/o SOB, hx of CHF, order CXR STAT." Translate the note — what's wrong with the patient, and what's being ordered?
What is: the patient complains of shortness of breath, has a history of congestive heart failure, and an immediate chest X-ray is being ordered?