Kuwait MOH Doctor Exam key terms

The numerical difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, normally about 30 to 50 mmHg. A widened pulse pressure suggests arterial stiffness or aortic regurgitation, while a narrowed one suggests reduced stroke volume or cardiac tamponade.

Accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac under pressure, compressing the heart and impairing diastolic filling. Classic signs include hypotension, distended neck veins, muffled heart sounds, pulsus paradoxus, and low-voltage ECG complexes with electrical alternans.

An exaggerated fall in systolic blood pressure of more than 10 mmHg during inspiration. It reflects impaired right ventricular filling and is classically seen in cardiac tamponade and severe asthma or obstructive lung disease.

The volume of blood ejected by one ventricle in a single contraction, typically 60 to 100 mL in adults. It is determined by preload, afterload, and contractility, and together with heart rate determines cardiac output.

The degree of ventricular stretch at the end of diastole, reflecting the volume of blood filling the heart. It is estimated clinically by central venous pressure or echocardiography and influences stroke volume through the Frank-Starling relationship.

The resistance the ventricle must overcome to eject blood, determined mainly by systemic vascular resistance and aortic or pulmonary valve impedance. Increased afterload reduces stroke volume and raises myocardial oxygen demand.

The difference between measured serum cations and anions, calculated as sodium minus the sum of chloride and bicarbonate. A raised anion gap suggests accumulation of unmeasured acids such as ketones, lactate, or uremic toxins.

A primary fall in plasma bicarbonate causing low blood pH, classified as high anion gap or normal anion gap. Causes include diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, renal failure, and gastrointestinal bicarbonate loss.

Euvolemic hyponatremia caused by excessive antidiuretic hormone release or action. Diagnostic criteria include low serum osmolality, high urine osmolality, urine sodium above 20 mmol/L, and exclusion of thyroid, adrenal, and renal causes.

Serum sodium concentration below 135 mmol/L, the commonest electrolyte disorder. Symptoms range from nausea and confusion to seizures; correction must be slow to avoid osmotic demyelination syndrome.

A spectrum of myocardial ischemia including unstable angina, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Diagnosis uses symptoms, serial troponin, and ECG, with immediate antiplatelet therapy and reperfusion for ST elevation.

A cardiac muscle protein released into blood when myocytes are damaged. High-sensitivity assays detect myocardial infarction within hours of symptom onset, and serial measurement distinguishes acute events from chronic elevation.

Air in the pleural space causing lung collapse. Tension pneumothorax produces hypotension, distended neck veins, tracheal deviation, and absent breath sounds, and requires immediate needle decompression before imaging.

Abnormal fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity. Transudates arise from raised hydrostatic or low oncotic pressure, while exudates follow inflammation, infection, or malignancy; thoracentesis with Light's criteria distinguishes them.

Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It is identified by a rise in the SOFA score and managed with early antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, and source control.

Sepsis with persistent hypotension requiring vasopressors to maintain mean arterial pressure and a raised lactate despite adequate fluid resuscitation. Mortality is high and management includes broad-spectrum antibiotics and intensive care support.

Inflammation of the vermiform appendix, typically causing periumbilical pain migrating to the right iliac fossa with tenderness, fever, and leukocytosis. Ultrasound or CT supports diagnosis, and appendectomy or antibiotics are the main treatments.

Inflammation of the peritoneal lining, often due to perforated bowel or appendicitis. It presents with rigid abdominal guarding, rebound tenderness, fever, and shock, and usually requires emergency laparotomy and antibiotics.

Mechanical or functional blockage of intestinal transit causing colicky pain, vomiting, distension, and absolute constipation. Management includes nasogastric decompression, intravenous fluids, and surgery for strangulation or closed-loop obstruction.

Telescoping of one bowel segment into the adjacent segment, commonest in infants aged three months to three years. It causes intermittent colicky pain, vomiting, and red currant jelly stool, and is treated by air or contrast enema reduction.

Hypertrophy of the pyloric muscle in infants causing non-bilious projectile vomiting at two to eight weeks of age. Examination reveals a palpable olive-shaped mass, and metabolic alkalosis with hypochloremia is corrected before surgical pyloromyotomy.

Yellow discoloration of skin and sclera from raised bilirubin in the first month of life. Physiological jaundice appears after 24 hours, while early or severe jaundice suggests hemolysis, sepsis, or biliary obstruction requiring urgent investigation.

Bilirubin-induced brain injury from severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, causing lethargy, poor feeding, hypotonia, and later hearing loss or cerebral palsy. Prevention relies on monitoring bilirubin and prompt phototherapy or exchange transfusion.

New hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation with proteinuria or maternal organ dysfunction. It can progress to eclampsia with seizures and is managed by antihypertensives, magnesium sulfate, and timely delivery.

New-onset generalized seizures in a woman with preeclampsia, occurring without another identifiable cause. Management includes magnesium sulfate for seizure control and delivery after maternal stabilization.

A drug used to prevent and treat seizures in eclampsia, with monitoring of reflexes, respiratory rate, and urine output. Toxicity is reversed with intravenous calcium gluconate.

Blood loss of 500 mL or more after vaginal delivery or 1000 mL after cesarean, usually from uterine atony. Management follows a sequence of uterine massage, uterotonic drugs, tranexamic acid, and surgical measures.

Implantation of the embryo outside the uterine cavity, most often in the fallopian tube. It presents with amenorrhea, abdominal pain, and vaginal bleeding, and ruptured cases cause shock requiring emergency surgery.

Glucose intolerance first recognized during pregnancy, usually detected by an oral glucose tolerance test at 24 to 28 weeks. It increases risks of macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia, and is managed with diet, metformin, or insulin.

Persistent low mood or loss of interest for at least two weeks with sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, or suicidal symptoms causing impairment. Treatment includes psychotherapy, antidepressants, and electroconvulsive therapy for severe refractory cases.

A potentially fatal reaction from serotonergic drugs causing agitation, tremor, hyperreflexia, clonus, hyperthermia, and diarrhea. It is managed by stopping the offending agents, supportive care, and sometimes cyproheptadine.

A life-threatening reaction to dopamine antagonists causing high fever, muscle rigidity, altered consciousness, and raised creatine kinase. Treatment involves stopping the drug, cooling, and supportive care with dantrolene or bromocriptine.

A patient's voluntary agreement to an intervention after receiving adequate information about its nature, benefits, risks, and alternatives. Valid consent requires capacity, disclosure, understanding, and freedom from coercion.

A patient's ability to make a specific decision, assessed by understanding relevant information, appreciating consequences, reasoning through options, and communicating a choice. Capacity is decision-specific and presumed unless evidence suggests otherwise.

The duty to protect patient health information from unauthorized disclosure. It may be breached only with consent or where law requires, such as notifiable disease reporting or serious public safety risk.

A disease that must be reported to public health authorities by law, enabling surveillance and outbreak control. Examples include tuberculosis, measles, cholera, and meningococcal infection.

Sensitivity is the proportion of truly diseased people correctly identified by a test; specificity is the proportion of truly healthy people correctly identified as negative. Together they describe test accuracy independent of disease prevalence.

The probability that a person with a positive test result truly has the disease. Unlike sensitivity, it depends strongly on disease prevalence and falls when the condition is rare.