Bones & Joints
What are the two major divisions of the skeleton?
Axial skeleton and appendicular skeleton
What disease causes bones to become weak and more likely to fracture?
Osteoporosis.
What is the primary job of the cardiovascular system?
Transport blood, oxygen, nutrients, and wastes throughout the body.
What is the medical term for persistently elevated blood pressure?
Hypertension.
Which imaging test is usually first used to look for a suspected broken bone?
X-ray.
Which long bone is located in the thigh?
Femur.
What term describes an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine?
Scoliosis.
Which blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?
Arteries.
What condition describes an abnormal heart rhythm?
Arrhythmia.
What test records the electrical activity of the heart?
ECG/EKG.
What type of joint is the shoulder?
Ball-and-socket joint.
What is the difference between a closed and open fracture?
An open fracture involves a break in the skin; a closed fracture does not.
Which heart chamber pumps blood to the rest of the body?
Left ventricle.
What condition occurs when plaque narrows the coronary arteries?
Coronary artery disease (CAD).
Which test uses ultrasound to show heart structure and pumping?
Echocardiogram.
What term means movement that decreases the angle of a joint?
Flexion.
A patient has worn cartilage and joint pain in the knee. What condition is likely?
Osteoarthritis.
What is the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation?
Pulmonary: heart to lungs and back. Systemic: heart to body and back.
What is a myocardial infarction?
A heart attack: injury/death of heart muscle due to inadequate blood flow.
Which scan measures bone mineral density and helps evaluate osteoporosis?
DXA/DEXA scan. (Bone density scan)
A patient has an injury to a ligament at the ankle. Is this a sprain or strain?
Sprain. A strain affects muscle or tendon.
A patient falls, has severe hip pain, and cannot bear weight. What injury must be ruled out urgently?
Hip fracture.
What is the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
Heart attack is a blood-flow problem affecting heart muscle; cardiac arrest is sudden loss of effective heart pumping, often due to an electrical problem.
A patient has facial drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty. What emergency should be suspected?
Stroke. Activate emergency services immediately.
A patient has chest pressure and sweating. Name two tests often used urgently to assess a possible heart attack.
12-lead ECG and cardiac troponin blood testing; emergency evaluation is needed.