MDCA 1313: Ch.2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026
UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS.
acute - ANSWER-it just started recently or is a sharp, severe symptom
chronic - ANSWER-it has been going on for a while now
exacerbation - ANSWER-it is getting worse
abrupt - ANSWER-all of a sudden
febrile - ANSWER-to have a fever
afebrile - ANSWER-to not have a fever
malaise - ANSWER-not feeling well
progressive - ANSWER-more & more ea day
symptom - ANSWER-something a patient feels
noncontributory - ANSWER-not related to this specific problem
lethargic - ANSWER-a decrease in level of consciousness; in a medical record, this is
generally an indication that the patient is really sick
genetic/hereditary - ANSWER-it runs in the family
alert - ANSWER-able to answer questions; responsive; interactive
oriented - ANSWER-being aware of who he or she is, where he or she is, and the
current time; a patient who is aware of all three is "oriented x 3"
, marked - ANSWER-it really stands out
unremarkable - ANSWER-another way of saying normal
auscultation - ANSWER-to listen
percussion - ANSWER-to hit something and listen to the resulting sound or feel for the
resulting vibration; drums are a percussion instrument
palpation - ANSWER-to feel
impression - ANSWER-another way of saying assessment
diagnosis - ANSWER-what the health care professional thinks the patient has
differential diagnosis - ANSWER-a list of conditions the patient may have based on the
symptoms exhibited and the results of the exam
benign - ANSWER-safe
malignant - ANSWER-dangerous; a problem
degeneration - ANSWER-to be getting worse
remission - ANSWER-to get better or improve; most often used when discussing
cancer; remission does not mean cure
idiopathic - ANSWER-no known specific cause; it just happens
localized - ANSWER-stays in a certain part of the body
systemic/generalized - ANSWER-all over the body (or most of it)
prognosis - ANSWER-the chances of things getting better or worse
occult - ANSWER-hidden
lesion - ANSWER-diseased tissue
recurrent - ANSWER-to have again
sequela - ANSWER-a problem resulting from a disease or injury
pending - ANSWER-waiting for
pathogen - ANSWER-the organism that causes the problem
morbidity - ANSWER-the risk for being sick
mortality - ANSWER-the risk for dying
Etiology - ANSWER-the cause
disposition - ANSWER-what happened to the pt at the end of the visit; often used at the
end of ED notes to reference where the pt went after the visit (home, the ICU, normal
hospital bed)
palliative - ANSWER-treating the symptoms, but not actually getting rid of the cause
sterile - ANSWER-extremely clean, germ-free conditions; especially important during
medical procedures and surgery
prophylaxis - ANSWER-preventive treatment
anatomic position - ANSWER-a person standing facing forward, arms at the side with
palms forward
proximal - ANSWER-closer in to the center; proximal and approximate come from the
same word & mean close
distal - ANSWER-farther away from the center; distal & distant come from the same
word & mean far
lateral - ANSWER-out to the side; think of quarterback lateraling a football to a running
back
medial - ANSWER-Toward the middle like the median of a highway
ventral/antral/anterior - ANSWER-the front; the word ventral means stomach
dorsal/posterior - ANSWER-the back
UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS.
acute - ANSWER-it just started recently or is a sharp, severe symptom
chronic - ANSWER-it has been going on for a while now
exacerbation - ANSWER-it is getting worse
abrupt - ANSWER-all of a sudden
febrile - ANSWER-to have a fever
afebrile - ANSWER-to not have a fever
malaise - ANSWER-not feeling well
progressive - ANSWER-more & more ea day
symptom - ANSWER-something a patient feels
noncontributory - ANSWER-not related to this specific problem
lethargic - ANSWER-a decrease in level of consciousness; in a medical record, this is
generally an indication that the patient is really sick
genetic/hereditary - ANSWER-it runs in the family
alert - ANSWER-able to answer questions; responsive; interactive
oriented - ANSWER-being aware of who he or she is, where he or she is, and the
current time; a patient who is aware of all three is "oriented x 3"
, marked - ANSWER-it really stands out
unremarkable - ANSWER-another way of saying normal
auscultation - ANSWER-to listen
percussion - ANSWER-to hit something and listen to the resulting sound or feel for the
resulting vibration; drums are a percussion instrument
palpation - ANSWER-to feel
impression - ANSWER-another way of saying assessment
diagnosis - ANSWER-what the health care professional thinks the patient has
differential diagnosis - ANSWER-a list of conditions the patient may have based on the
symptoms exhibited and the results of the exam
benign - ANSWER-safe
malignant - ANSWER-dangerous; a problem
degeneration - ANSWER-to be getting worse
remission - ANSWER-to get better or improve; most often used when discussing
cancer; remission does not mean cure
idiopathic - ANSWER-no known specific cause; it just happens
localized - ANSWER-stays in a certain part of the body
systemic/generalized - ANSWER-all over the body (or most of it)
prognosis - ANSWER-the chances of things getting better or worse
occult - ANSWER-hidden
lesion - ANSWER-diseased tissue
recurrent - ANSWER-to have again
sequela - ANSWER-a problem resulting from a disease or injury
pending - ANSWER-waiting for
pathogen - ANSWER-the organism that causes the problem
morbidity - ANSWER-the risk for being sick
mortality - ANSWER-the risk for dying
Etiology - ANSWER-the cause
disposition - ANSWER-what happened to the pt at the end of the visit; often used at the
end of ED notes to reference where the pt went after the visit (home, the ICU, normal
hospital bed)
palliative - ANSWER-treating the symptoms, but not actually getting rid of the cause
sterile - ANSWER-extremely clean, germ-free conditions; especially important during
medical procedures and surgery
prophylaxis - ANSWER-preventive treatment
anatomic position - ANSWER-a person standing facing forward, arms at the side with
palms forward
proximal - ANSWER-closer in to the center; proximal and approximate come from the
same word & mean close
distal - ANSWER-farther away from the center; distal & distant come from the same
word & mean far
lateral - ANSWER-out to the side; think of quarterback lateraling a football to a running
back
medial - ANSWER-Toward the middle like the median of a highway
ventral/antral/anterior - ANSWER-the front; the word ventral means stomach
dorsal/posterior - ANSWER-the back
