Memorize the major prefixes used in medical terminology and understand the meaning of each. Brady means slow; bradycardia is a slow heartbeat, circum is around, endo is inner or inside, epi is over, eryth is red as in erythrocyte or red blood cell. Hemi is half, hyper is excessive, hypo is under as in hypodermic or under the skin. Leuk is white as in leukocytes or white blood cells. Neo is new as in neonatal, peri is around, poly is many, post is after and pre is before. Tachy is fast or rapid as in tachycardia or rapid heart rate. Trans means across and uni means one.
Memorize the root words as these are the basis of nearly all medical terms. Abdomen is abdomen and gastro means stomach. Arterio is artery, phleb means vein and hemo means blood. Thoraco means chest, trachea means trachea, broncho means bronchus and pneumo means lung. Tracheobronchitis means inflammation of the lining in the trachea and bronchus. Cardio means heart, colo means colon, cranio means skull and encephalo means brain. Cyano means blue as in cyanosis, a blue tinge to the skin due to oxygen deprivation. Cyst means bladder, hepato means liver and hydro means water. Oculo means eye and osteo means bone.
The suffix, found at the end of a word, often tells you the meaning. Common medical terms end in algia meaning pain, centesis is a puncture as in pneumocentesis, aspiration of air or fluid from the lung using a needle. Ectomy means removal, itis means inflammation as in pericarditis, inflammation of the pericardium, the muscle surrounding the heart. Lysis is destruction of, oma means tumor, osis is condition, pathy means disease and penia means a lack of and rrhage means excessive flow as in hemorrhage or excessive bleeding. Ostomy means creating an opening, while otomy meaning an incision.
Common abbreviations for medical terms include CPR meaning cardiopulmonary resuscitation. DOA, dead on arrival. BS means blood sugar, ECG and EKG mean electrocardiogram. GI means gastrointestinal, while GU means genitourinary. Hx means history, ICU means intensive care unit. LOC means level of consciousness and DON means director of nursing, with whom you need to stay on friendly terms. Meds means medications, NPO means nothing by mouth and PO means by mouth. Neg means negative, while positive is often spelled out. OOB means out of bed, q means every, as in Q2, every two hours and OT means occupational therapy.