Quizlet CHAPTER 7 Vocabulary Relating to the Respiratory System

Print Options

This box will be automatically hidden when printing. Return to Set Page


  1. anosmia: Loss of the sense of smell.
  2. asphyxia: Lack of oxygen that can lead to unconsciousness and death if not corrected immediately.
  3. auscultation: Process o listening for sounds within the body.
  4. Cheyne-Stokes respiration: Abnormal breathing pattern in which there are long periods of apnea followed by deeper, more rapid breathing. Named for John Cheyne and Sir William Stokes.
  5. endotracheal intubation: placing a tube through the mouth, through the glottis, and into the trachea to create a patent airway.
  6. epistaxis: nose bleed
  7. hemoptysis: coughing up blood, or blood-stained sputum
  8. hyperventilation: The breath both slow and shallow
  9. internist: a physician who specailized in treating deseases and conditions of internal organs such as the respiratory system.
  10. nasal canula: Two-pronged plastic device for delivering oxygen into the nose; one prong is inserted into each nares.
  11. otorhinolaryngology: Branch of medicine that treats conditions and diseases of the the ear, nose and throat region.
  12. patent: Open, or unblocked, such as a patent airway.
  13. percussion: Using the fingertips to tap on a surface to determine the conditon beneath the surface.
  14. phlegm: thick mucus secreted by the membranes that line the respiratory tract.
  15. pleural: Grating sound made when the two layers of the pleura rub together during respiration. It is caused when one of the surfaces becomes thicker as a result of inflammation or other disease conditions.
  16. pulmonologist: A physician who specializes in treating diseases and disorders of the respiratory system.
  17. purulent: Containing pus or an infection that is producing pus.
  18. rales: Abnormal crackling sound during inspiration. Usually indicates the presence of fluid or mucus in the airways.
  19. rhonchi: Somewhat musical sound during expiration, often found in asthma or infection.
  20. Shortness of breath (SOB): Term used to indicated that a patient is having some difficulty breathing.
  21. sputum: Mucus or phlegm that is coughed up from the lining of the respiratory tract.
  22. stethoscope: An instrument used to listen to body sounds such as breath sounds or bowel sounds
  23. stridor: Harsh, high-pitched, noisy brathing sound that is madw when there is an obstruction of the bronchus or larynx.
  24. thoracic surgeon: a physician who specializes in treating conditions and diseases of the respiratory system by surgical means.