Chapter 8C - Diagnostic Signs Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Chapter 8C - Diagnostic Signs Deck (56)
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0
Q

Chronic

A

Of long duration, such as a chronic disease like hypertension

1
Q

Acute

A

Having rapid onset of severe symptoms

2
Q

Agitation

A

Being upset, or hyper, very concerned

3
Q

Aggravation

A

Being angry and probably agitated

4
Q

Alleviate

A

To relieve or make go away, as in splinting helps alleviate the pain

5
Q

Amnesia

A

Loss of memory

6
Q

Anisocoria

A

Unequal pupils

7
Q

Artifact

A

Artificial action – something extra that should not be there

8
Q

Asymmetrical

A

Not symmetrical

9
Q

Crepitus

A

The grating or grinding of broken bone ends

10
Q

diaphoresis

A

Excessive sweating

11
Q

Distention

A

To stretch out

12
Q

Nasal flaring

A

A sign of respiratory compromise

13
Q

Nystagmus

A

The horizontal or vertical jerking of the eyeball when they look away from the center – often observed with drug abuse

14
Q

Photophobia

A

hypersensitivity to bright light – wishing to avoid it – commonly seen with hangovers and meningitis

15
Q

Ventilation

A

Moving air – to move air into and out of the lungs

16
Q

Respiration

A

To utilize the oxygen we breathe through gas exchanges both in the lungs, and at the cellular level

17
Q

What are the 12 diagnostic signs?

A
  1. pulse
  2. respirations
  3. Blood-pressure
  4. Skin color
  5. Skin moisture
  6. Skin temperature
  7. Pupils
  8. Level of consciousness
  9. Reaction to pain
  10. Ability to move
  11. Breath sounds
  12. Respiratory patterns
18
Q

Pulse - fast & weak (causes)

A

Shock, heat exhaustion, diabetic coma

19
Q

Pulse – fast and strong (causes)

A

Freight, stress, fever, hypertension, heat stroke, stimulant drugs (amphetamines, cocaine)

20
Q

Pulse – slow and weak (causes)

A

Downer drug overdose (sedative – hypnotics, tranquilizers, opiates), impending doom

21
Q

Pulse - slow and strong (causes)

A

Stroke, head injury

22
Q

Respirations – rapid and shallow (causes)

A

Airway obstruction (partial), heart failure, chest or abdominal injury or pain

23
Q

Respiration – rapid and deep (causes)

A

Diabetic coma, head injury, stress

24
Q

Respirations – slow and shallow (causes)

A

Downer drug overdose (sedative – hypnotics, tranquilizers, opiates), impending doom

25
Q

respirations – labored (causes)

A

Airway obstruction

26
Q

Blood pressure – high (causes)

A

Fright, stress, heading injury, central nervous system problems, poisoning (black widow, scorpion), some medical problems

27
Q

Blood pressure – low (causes)

A

Shock, internal bleeding, (could be normal for this patient)

28
Q

Blood pressure – rising (causes)

A

Could indicate rising intracranial pressure

Monitor it – elevate head

29
Q

Blood pressure – falling (causes)

A

Cardiogenic shock, septic shock, G.I. bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, bleeding related to pregnancy, ruptured aorta

Monitor it – elevate legs, give oxygen

30
Q

Erythema (causes)

A

Fever, diabetic coma, (possibly) heat stroke, hypertension

31
Q

Palor/pale (causes)

A

Stress, shock, hypoglycemia, heat exhaustion, heart attack sometimes

32
Q

Cyanosis (causes)

A

Airway obstruction, respiratory insufficiency, pump failure, shock, dramatic asphyxia

indicates poor tissue oxygenation

33
Q

Ashen (causes)

A

Gray

heart attack, or extremely poor tissue perfusion

34
Q

Blotchy, mottled (causes)

A

Shock, poor perfusion

35
Q

List 4 places other than the skin generally where you can check skin color if the patient is not why (Caucasian) or does not have pale skin

A
  1. Thenar prominence (base of thumb)
  2. Nailbeds (Cannot be relied upon too affected by environment)
  3. Inside lower eyelids
  4. Lips
36
Q

Skin moisture – dry (causes)

A

Normal

37
Q

Skin moisture – damp (causes)

A

Shock, fright, stress (if warm, may be hot and sweaty) (if cool, may be in shock)

38
Q

Skin moisture – very sweaty (causes)

A

Heart attack, insulin shock, shock

39
Q

Skin temperature

A

Hot, cold, or normal

if the patient is sick and with a low-grade fever or slight temperature, you would describe it to the nurse as hot, because to a nurse, warm is normal

40
Q

Pupils – perl

A

Pupils are equal and reactive to light

41
Q

Pupils – normal size

A

Pupils are normally from 1.5 mm - 6 mm

42
Q

Pupils – constricted (or pinpointed) (causes)

A

Bright light, opiates/heroin overdose, or some poisonings (organophosphates)

43
Q

Pupils – midpoint (causes)

A

Dead

44
Q

Pupils – dilated (causes)

A

Stress, Fright, coma, shock, amphetamine or stimulant overdose, head injury, dead (early stage)

45
Q

Pupils - reaction to light

A

Should be very fast

46
Q

Pupils – rapid reaction to light (causes)

A

Saying this means that they react to light a very rapidly = normal

47
Q

Pupils - sluggish (causes)

A

Means that they do react, but not as fast as normal = sedative drugs, cerebral hypoxia, head injuries, cerebral edema

48
Q

Pupils – fixed (causes)

A

Means that they do not react = dead, blind, glass eye, sedative drugs

49
Q

When checking pupils what are the 3 things you check for?

A

Size, symmetry, reaction to light

50
Q

Pupils – symmetry

A

They should be equal. But, 10% of all people have slightly unequal pupils normally (but usually only 1mm different)

51
Q

Pupils – equal

A

Normal

52
Q

Pupils – unequal (causes)

A

Head injury, stroke, glass eye

Presume that we mean “significantly unequal”. And remember that people with cataracts often have unequal pupils all the time

53
Q

Oval pupil significance?

A

An oval pupil may be an early sign of increasing intracranial pressure

54
Q

Pie shaped wedge cut out pupil?

A

A pupil with the pie shaped wedge cut out of it indicates that the person has had cataract surgery

55
Q

Pupil - consensually

A

Pupils should we consensually – meaning if you shin light in one, both should constrict together