PMC Medicine Licensure flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Frank-Starling law

The heart ejects a larger stroke volume when end-diastolic fiber length increases, within physiologic limits. It matches cardiac output to venous return.

Naegele rule

Estimated delivery date is calculated by adding 280 days, or nine months and seven days, to the first day of the last menstrual period.

Parkland formula

For burns, give 4 mL per kg body weight per percent total body surface area of Ringer lactate in 24 hours, with half in the first 8 hours.

Sensitivity

Proportion of people with disease who test positive, equal to true positives divided by true positives plus false negatives. It reflects detection of disease.

Specificity

Proportion of people without disease who test negative, equal to true negatives divided by true negatives plus false positives. It reflects exclusion of disease.

Michaelis constant Km

Substrate concentration at which an enzyme works at half its maximal velocity. A low Km indicates high enzyme affinity for substrate.

Rigor mortis

Postmortem stiffening from ATP depletion in muscle. It begins within 1-2 hours, peaks near 12 hours, and resolves by 24-36 hours in temperate conditions.

Virchow triad

Three factors promoting thrombosis: endothelial injury, abnormal blood flow such as stasis or turbulence, and hypercoagulability of the blood.

CURB-65 score

Pneumonia severity score using confusion, urea above 7 mmol/L, respiratory rate 30 or more, low blood pressure, and age 65 or older.

Murphy sign

During deep palpation under the right costal margin, the patient stops inspiration because of pain. It suggests acute cholecystitis.

Cullen sign

Periumbilical bruising from retroperitoneal hemorrhage. It is associated with acute pancreatitis and other retroperitoneal bleeding conditions.

Erb palsy

Upper brachial plexus injury of C5-C6 roots causing arm adduction, internal rotation, and forearm extension, often after shoulder dystocia.

Glasgow Coma Scale

Scores eye, verbal, and motor responses from 3 to 15. A total of 8 or less indicates severe impairment and airway risk.

Herd immunity

Indirect protection of unvaccinated people when a sufficient proportion of the population is immune, interrupting transmission chains.

Phenylketonuria

Deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase causing phenylalanine accumulation and intellectual disability if untreated. Managed with a phenylalanine-restricted diet.

Caseous necrosis

A form of necrosis with cheese-like friable appearance, classically seen in tuberculosis granulomas and some fungal infections.

Warfarin mechanism

It inhibits vitamin K epoxide reductase, reducing synthesis of clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X. Effect is monitored by INR.

Naloxone

Competitive opioid receptor antagonist used to reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression and coma. It may precipitate withdrawal in dependent patients.

Tetanospasmin

Toxin of Clostridium tetani that blocks release of inhibitory neurotransmitters, causing muscle spasm, trismus, and risus sardonicus.

Preeclampsia

New hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation with proteinuria or end-organ dysfunction. Magnesium sulfate prevents seizures in severe disease.

Shoulder dystocia

Failure to deliver the shoulders after the head. Managed first with McRoberts maneuver and suprapubic pressure, avoiding fundal pressure.

Kawasaki disease

Febrile vasculitis of childhood with conjunctivitis, rash, mucosal changes, and extremity changes. Coronary artery aneurysms are the major complication.

Intussusception

Telescoping of proximal bowel into distal bowel causing colicky pain and red-currant jelly stool. Air enema is diagnostic and therapeutic.

Croup

Viral laryngotracheitis causing barking cough and inspiratory stridor. Treated with dexamethasone and nebulized epinephrine for severe obstruction.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median nerve compression at the wrist causing numbness of thumb, index, and middle fingers with thenar weakness and nocturnal symptoms.

Countercurrent mechanism

Loop of Henle generates a medullary osmotic gradient, allowing ADH-dependent water reabsorption in collecting ducts and concentrated urine formation.

Glycolysis yield

Net production of 2 ATP and 2 NADH per glucose molecule, with phosphofructokinase-1 as the rate-limiting enzyme.

Aminoglycosides

Bactericidal antibiotics binding the 30S ribosomal subunit. They are used for gram-negative infections and cause nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity.

Incidence versus prevalence

Incidence counts new cases per population at risk per unit time. Prevalence counts all existing cases at a point or period.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death with cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and membrane blebbing, executed by caspases without inflammation.

Light criteria

Pleural fluid is exudate if protein or lactate dehydrogenase ratios to serum exceed thresholds, or fluid LDH exceeds two-thirds serum upper limit.

Henderson-Hasselbalch equation

pH equals pKa plus the logarithm of bicarbonate concentration divided by dissolved carbon dioxide. It relates acid-base variables in blood.