Paramedic Program

5 Patient Care Theory/ Anatomy & Physiology terms

Assist paramedic students to remember terms associated with the course.

Atelectasis

Progressive collapse of alveoli, contributing to hypoxia. Alveoli may become filled with blood or tissue fluid, like to pneumonia.

Ecchymosis

Ecchymosis is the medical term for the common bruise. Most bruises form when blood vessels near the surface of the skin are damaged, usually by impact from an injury. The force of the impact causes your blood vessels to burst open and leak blood. This blood gets trapped beneath the skin, where it forms into a little pool that turns your skin purple, black, or blue.

Erythema

Erythema is a type of skin rash caused by injured or inflamed blood capillaries. It usually occurs in response to a drug, disease or infection.

Paradoxical Breathing

Paradoxical breathing is the term for a sign of respiratory distress associated with damage to the structures involved in breathing. Instead of moving out when taking a breath, the chest wall or the abdominal wall moves in. Often, the chest wall and the abdominal wall move in opposite directions with each breath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ_FYwUqzsM&ab_channel=LarryMellick

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia.