Iraqi Board Internal Medicine key terms

A heart attack caused by complete blockage of a coronary artery, producing persistent chest pain and ST-segment elevation on ECG; urgent reperfusion by primary percutaneous coronary intervention or thrombolysis limits muscle damage.

A clinical syndrome of breathlessness and fluid retention caused by impaired left ventricular contraction, usually with an ejection fraction below 40 percent; treatment combines diuretics with drugs that improve survival.

An irregular, often fast heart rhythm caused by chaotic electrical activity in the atria; it raises stroke risk and is managed with rate control, anticoagulation when indicated, and sometimes rhythm restoration.

Narrowing of the aortic valve that obstructs blood flow from the left ventricle, causing exertional breathlessness, angina, or syncope; severe symptomatic disease is treated by valve replacement.

A progressive lung disease with persistent airflow limitation, usually from smoking, causing cough, sputum, and breathlessness; management includes inhaled bronchodilators, smoking cessation, vaccination, and pulmonary rehabilitation.

A blood clot that travels to the pulmonary arteries, causing sudden breathlessness, chest pain, and hypoxaemia; diagnosis uses clinical probability scoring, D-dimer testing, and CT pulmonary angiography, with anticoagulation as treatment.

An abnormal collection of fluid in the pleural space that causes breathlessness and reduced breath sounds; analysis of aspirated fluid distinguishes transudate from exudate and guides the underlying cause.

Hypoxaemia with a normal or low arterial carbon dioxide level, caused by lung disease that impairs oxygen uptake; it is recognised by arterial blood gas analysis and treated with oxygen and correction of the cause.

Advanced scarring of the liver with regenerative nodules, causing portal hypertension and impaired synthetic function; complications include ascites, variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity, most often from portal hypertension in cirrhosis; it causes abdominal distension and is managed with salt restriction, diuretics, and therapeutic paracentesis.

Sudden inflammation of the pancreas, usually from gallstones or alcohol, causing severe upper abdominal pain and raised pancreatic enzymes; severe cases develop organ failure, pancreatic necrosis, and fluid shifts.

Bleeding from the oesophagus, stomach, or duodenum, presenting as haematemesis or melaena; causes include peptic ulcer, varices, and erosive disease, and urgent endoscopy guides haemostasis.

A rapid decline in kidney function with rising creatinine or falling urine output, caused by reduced perfusion, intrinsic kidney damage, or obstruction; management focuses on the cause, fluid balance, and avoiding nephrotoxins.

An elevated serum potassium concentration that can cause muscle weakness and dangerous cardiac arrhythmias; urgent treatment includes calcium to protect the heart, insulin with glucose, and removal of potassium from the body.

A condition in which blood pH falls because of acid accumulation or bicarbonate loss; causes include ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, and renal failure, and treatment depends on correcting the underlying process.

Inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone causing dilutional hyponatraemia with concentrated urine and normal volume status; it occurs with lung disease, brain injury, and some drugs and is treated by fluid restriction.

A severe complication of diabetes with high blood glucose, ketones, and metabolic acidosis, often presenting with dehydration, vomiting, and deep breathing; treatment requires intravenous fluids, insulin, and potassium replacement.

A deficiency of thyroid hormone causing fatigue, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, and slowed mental function; diagnosis rests on thyroid function tests and treatment is levothyroxine replacement.

The clinical state caused by excess cortisol, producing central obesity, purple abdominal striae, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, and muscle weakness; causes include corticosteroid drugs and adrenal or pituitary tumours.

Reduced bone strength from low bone mineral density and poor microarchitecture, leading to fragility fractures; it is common after menopause and with glucocorticoid use and is treated with calcium, vitamin D, and bone-protective drugs.

A microcytic anaemia caused by insufficient iron for haemoglobin production, often from blood loss or poor diet; it causes fatigue and pallor and is treated by finding the source and giving iron replacement.

An immune reaction to heparin that causes falling platelet counts and paradoxical blood clotting; it can lead to limb- or life-threatening thrombosis and requires stopping heparin and using an alternative anticoagulant.

Widespread activation of clotting that consumes platelets and clotting factors, causing both thrombosis and bleeding; it occurs in sepsis, trauma, and obstetric complications and is treated by managing the underlying cause.

An adverse event during or soon after blood transfusion, such as fever, allergic reaction, haemolysis, or fluid overload; prompt recognition, stopping the transfusion, and supportive treatment are essential to prevent serious harm.

A chronic autoimmune disease causing symmetrical inflammation of small joints, morning stiffness, and eventual joint damage; early treatment with disease-modifying drugs reduces pain, disability, and systemic complications.

A multisystem autoimmune disease with antibodies against nuclear components, causing rash, arthritis, kidney inflammation, and blood abnormalities; treatment uses hydroxychloroquine, steroids, and immunosuppression tailored to organ involvement.

An inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystals in joints, typically producing sudden severe pain in the first toe; treatment uses anti-inflammatory drugs for attacks and urate-lowering therapy for prevention.

A blood test that detects antibodies against cell nuclei; a positive result supports diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and other connective tissue diseases but can occur in healthy people and must be interpreted with clinical features.

Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated response to infection; it is recognised by signs of infection plus organ dysfunction and requires urgent antibiotics, fluids, and source control.

An infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, most often affecting the lungs and causing cough, fever, weight loss, and night sweats; diagnosis uses sputum testing and imaging, and treatment requires prolonged combination antibiotics.

Infection of the heart valves or endocardium, usually by bacteria, causing fever, heart murmur, and risk of emboli or valve destruction; diagnosis uses blood cultures and echocardiography, and treatment is prolonged antibiotics sometimes with surgery.

A retrovirus that infects immune cells and, without treatment, causes progressive immunodeficiency and AIDS; modern antiretroviral therapy suppresses the virus and prevents transmission and opportunistic infections.

Brain injury from blockage of a cerebral artery, causing sudden focal neurological deficit; urgent imaging distinguishes it from haemorrhage, and thrombolysis or thrombectomy may restore blood flow within a narrow time window.

A prolonged seizure or repeated seizures without recovery between them, lasting five minutes or more; it is a medical emergency requiring airway support and immediate benzodiazepine treatment followed by antiseizure medication.

An acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy causing progressive weakness, reduced reflexes, and sometimes breathing difficulty; it often follows infection and is treated with intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange plus supportive care.

Infection of the meninges by bacteria, causing fever, headache, neck stiffness, and altered consciousness; urgent lumbar puncture and antibiotics are required, and steroids may reduce complications in some cases.

An acute fluctuating disturbance of attention and awareness caused by illness, drugs, or metabolic upset; it is common in hospitalised older patients and requires treating the cause and reducing environmental triggers.

A transient loss of consciousness from reduced cerebral blood flow, with rapid spontaneous recovery; causes include reflex fainting, orthostatic hypotension, and cardiac arrhythmia, and assessment aims to identify dangerous cardiac causes.

Sepsis with persistent low blood pressure and raised lactate despite fluid resuscitation, reflecting severe circulatory failure; treatment requires urgent antibiotics, further fluids, vasopressors, and source control.

Severe acute lung inflammation causing bilateral infiltrates and low oxygen levels not fully explained by heart failure; it is managed with lung-protective ventilation, treatment of the cause, and careful fluid balance.