Medical Terminology
& Abbreviations
Unit 5 (6th Edition)
Chapter 6 (7th Edition)
1
Learning Objectives
• Identify and use abbreviations
common in the medical field
• Understand how medical terminology can be
broken down into prefixes, root words, and
suffixes
• Identify the meaning of common medical
terms
• Use medical terminology correctly
2
Pre-Lecture Questions
1. Why do you think abbreviations are used by
medical professionals?
____________________________________
____________________________________
2. List any medical abbreviations you know.
____________________________________
____________________________________
3. Which language is the basis of medical terms?
____________________________________
____________________________________
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Medical Abbreviations
•
•
•
•
•
Shortened forms for convenience
Usually just letters
Example: BP stands for Blood Pressure
Upper and lower case letters matter
Health care workers are expected to recognize
most common abbreviations
• Agencies have their approved lists of
abbreviations
• If an abbreviation is not on list, do not use
4
Medical Abbreviations Continued
• Common Medical Abbreviations
- BP = Blood Pressure
- T = Temperature
- VS = Vital Signs
- All = Allergies
- Dx = Diagnosis
- Sx = Symptoms
• A list of the most important medical abbreviations
you need to know will be provided
5
Origins of Medical Terminology
• Hippocrates was a Greek physician known as
the “Father of Medicine”
• 75% of medical terms based on Greek or Latin
• Impossible to memorize all medical words
individually
• Determine the meaning of word by breaking
down a word into smaller parts
• These word parts are used over
and over in different combinations
• If the word parts are known, then word
can be broken down and interpreted
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Interpreting Word Parts
• Prefix
– Syllable/word placed at beginning of word
– Further defines the root word
– “peri-” means “around” (perimeter, pericardio-, etc.)
• Suffix
– Syllable or word placed at end of word
– Describes what is happening to root word
– “-ology” means “study of” (biology, histology, etc.)
• Root Words
– Main part to which prefixes and suffixes can be added
– “cardi-” is root word for “heart”
• A list of the most important prefixes, root words, and
suffixes you need to know will be provided to you
7
Root Words
• A root is the
foundation or basic
meaning of a word.
• May appear with a
prefix or suffix, or
between a prefix
or suffix.
•
•
•
•
cardi = heart
hepat = liver
neur = nerve
nephr = kidney
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Prefixes
•
•
•
•
•
pre = before
peri- = around
hemi = half
micro = small
neo = new
• The prefix is a part
of the word that
precedes (comes
before) the root
word and changes
its meaning.
• Often indicates
location, time, or
number.
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Suffixes
• A suffix is the word
ending that follows
the word root and
changes its meaning. • -itis = inflammation
• Often indicates the • -ology = the study of
procedure, condition, • -ectomy = surgical
disorder, or disease.
removal
• -plast- surgical repair
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Putting It All Together
• Cardi = root means
heart
• -ology = suffix means
the study of
• Nephr = root means
• Cardiology = study of
kidney
the heart
• -itis = suffix means
inflammation
• Nephritis =
inflammation of the
kidney
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Now You Try
• pericarditis = ______________________
• leukocyte = _______________________
• hepatitis = ________________________
• neuroplasty = _____________________
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Pericarditis
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Leukocyte
• Leuko = prefix means
white
• Cyte = root word means
cell
• leukocyte means white
cell
14
Hepatitis
• Hepat = root word
means liver
• -itis = suffix means
inflammation
• Hepatitis = means
inflammation of the
liver
15
Neuroplasty
• Neuro = root word means nerve
or nerves
• -plasty = suffix means surgical
repair
• neuroplasty means surgical repair
of the nerve
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Combining Forms and Vowels
• Combining form consists of the root word and a
connecting vowel to make it easier to pronounce
• Makes it easier to attach another root word/suffix
• Combining form for heart is cardi• Combining form associated with cells is cyt• The combining vowel is not used when suffix
begins with a vowel (neuritis)
• The combining vowel is used when suffix begins
with a consonant. (neuroplasty)
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Post-Lecture Questions
1. Look back at our Learning Objectives slide.
Which learning objective do you think you
learned best today?
__________________________________
2. Explain your choice.
__________________________________
3. Which learning objective do you feel you
need to learn more about?
__________________________________
4. What questions do you still have?
__________________________________
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