Introduction to Medical Terminology. Language of the medical field Communication Written and spoken in the clinical area Bonus: Look really smart.

Medical Terminology

Introduction to Medical Terminology

Language of the medical field Communication Written and spoken in the clinical area Bonus: Look really smart when watching TV

medical shows Originates from Latin & Greek

Why Do I Need to Learn Medical Terminology?

Medical terms◦ Prefix◦ Root◦ Suffix◦ Do not have to have all three

Composition

Prefix◦ At beginning of word◦ *Not all medical terms have a prefix◦ Prefixes are attached to words to express

numbers, measurements, position, negative, colors

◦ epi—on or upon ◦ hypo—below or low◦ hemi—half ◦ pan—all or everywhere

Prefix

Root ◦ The word’s foundation◦ *All medical terms have at least one root◦ If no prefix—the root will begin the medical term◦ gastr—stomach◦ cyt--cell◦ glycem—blood sugar◦ pleg—paralysis

Root

Suffix◦ The medical terms ending◦ *Most medical terms have a suffix◦ ic—pertaining to◦ penia—decrease

Suffix

Epi/gastr/ic—pertaining to over the stomach Pan/cyto/penia—decrease in all blood cells Hemi/plegia—one side paralysis Hepato/megaly—enlargement of the liver

Medical Terms

A combining vowel (usually o) joins a root to another root or to a suffix

Example: Therm(o)meter Therm. = heat (root) Meter = measuring device (root) Hepat(o)megaly—enlarged liver Hepat—liver (root) megaly (suffix) Osteoporosis—porous condition of bone Oste—bone (root) porosis (suffix)

Composition

bi – two, double bicuspidhemi – half hemiplegicmilli – 1/1000 millilitermono – one, single monocyteprimi – first primigravidasemi – half semiconscioustri – three tricepsuni – one unilateral

Prefix--Number

hyper – excessive or highmulti – manypoly – many

hypo – below or low tachy—rapid or fast brady—slow

Prefix--Measurement

a – withoutab – from, away fromad – toward, increaseambi – both, both sidesan – withoutante – before, in frontcircum – around

peri—around

Prefix--Position

pre – in front of beforepost – afterretro – backward, behindsub – under, belowsupra – above

Position (cont’d)

cardi --- heart gastr --- stomach mast ------ breast hepat --- liver oste ----- bone neur ----- nerve arthr ----- joint

Common Root Terms

fibr---fibrous tissue my----muscle myel---bone marrow or spinal cord enter---intestine col-----colon chole---gall or bile

Common Root Terms

Suffix : clarify will make a new word

will change the meaning of the root Example: Tonsillitis – inflammation of tonsils Tonsillectomy – removal of tonsils

Suffix

porosis ----- porous condition cyte --------- cell ectomy ------ surgical removal algia -------- pain -------- dynia megaly ----- enlargement logy --------- study of itis ------------ inflammation oma --------- tumor

Common Suffix

scope -------- device for viewing scopy -------- act of viewing sclerosis ------ hardness stenosis ------ narrowed, blocked lith ------------ stone, calculus iasis ----------- indicating a condition ic -------------- pertaining to tripsy --------- crushing

Common Suffix

Gastrectomy Hepatic Hepatocarcinoma Neuropathy Neurofibroma Neurogastric Osteoporosis Osteomyelitis

Medical Terminology

Cholecystectomy Cholelithiasis Cholecystitis Cardiomyopathy Osteoarthritis

Medical Terminology

Acronym◦ Medical terms formed by combining letters of a

word or phrase COPD—Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease HIV—Human Immunodeficiency Virus CAD—Coronary Artery Disease HTN—Hypertension

Medical Terminology

Eponym◦ Medical term based on the name of a person

Parkinson’s Disease Kaposi’s Sarcoma Sulk Vaccine

Medical Terminology

Meridian time Military time12 Midnight 2400 or 00001 am 0100 2 am 0200 3 am 0300 4 am 0400 5 am 0500 6 am 0600

Military Time

7 am 0700 8 am 0800 9 am 0900 10 am 1000 11 am 1100 12 noon 1200 1 pm 1300 2 pm 1400 3 pm 1500

Military Time

4 pm 1600 5 pm 1700 6 pm 1800 7 pm 1900 8 pm 2000 9 pm 2100 10 pm 2200 11 pm 2300 12 midnight 2400 or 0000

Military Time

8:15 A.M. = 0815 or 08:15 11:32 P.M. = 2332 or 23:32

6:45 A.M. = 8:35 P.M. = 1:04 P.M. =

Military Time

b.i.d. twice a dayt.i.d. three times a dayq.i.d. four times a daymin. minuteh. or hr. hourqh every hourq2h every two hoursq3h every three hoursq4h every four hours

Frequent Symbols

q 6h every 6 hoursq 8h every 8 hoursq 12h every 12 hourNPO nothing by mouth

Change

Frequent Symbols

Multiplied by, magnification x Divide /

Equals =

Greater than > Less than <

Symbols

gtt droptab or T with dot tabletcap capsule susp suspension

supp suppository

Frequent Symbols

ac before mealpc after meal ad lib as desiredprn when necessarystat immediately, as soon

as possible

Frequent Symbols

IM IntramuscularIV IntravenousIVPB Intravenous Piggyback

Sub-Q SubcutaneousSL SublingualID IntradermalNG Nasogastric tubepo By mouth

Common Medical Abbre. Route

ADL’s---activities of daily living H&P-----history and physical WNL----within normal limits NKA-----no known allergies SOB-----short of breath LUQ-----left upper quadrant HOH-----hard of hearing CVA------cerebral vascular accident bpm------beats per minute

Common Medical Abbreviations

CBC---complete blood count LLE----left lower extremity BLE----bilateral lower extremity Right arm?-----

Common Medical Abbreviations

Abbreviation Intended PreferredU units “units”ug micrograms “mcg”QD every day “daily”QOD every other day every other day AS.AD.AU Left, right, both ears write left ear etc

OS, OD, OU left, right, both eyes write left eye etc.

JACHO – Joint commission on accreditation of Health Care Organizations

JACHO—Do Not Use Abbreviations

IU International unit “write”5.0 mg. Trailing zero No zero after decimal point write 5 mg.5 leading zero Always a zero before a decimal point, write 0.5 mgMS Morphine Sulfate “write”MS04 Morphine Sulfate “write”mGs04 Magnesium Sulfate “write”

JACHO—Do Not Use Abbreviations

H.S. (half strength or bedtime)—Must write out “half strength” or “at bedtime”

T.I.W. (three times a week)—Must write three times weekly

SC or SQ (subcutaneous)—Sub-Q or write out subcutaneous

D/C (discharge)—Must write discharge cc (unit of measurement)—Must write “ml”

for milliliters

JACHO—Do Not Use Abbreviations

> or < (greater than or less than)—Must write out “greater than” or “less than”

/ (do not use a slash mark to separate doses)—Must write out per

Example—5 mg/0.5ml Example—25 units/1 ml Approved example—5 mg per 0.5 ml Approved example—25 units per 1 ml

JACHO (Do Not Use Abbreviations)