I. Instructions: Write 10 medical terms. Identify and give the meaning of the root word, prefix (if any), and suffix of each term. Define the medical terms and use them in a complete sentence. Use the table below. Root Word/Meaning Medical Term Prefix/Suffix/Meaning Meaning of the Term Example: Polycythemia cyt = cell poly = many -emia = blood increase number of blood cells Sentence: May was diagnosed to be suffering from polycythemia. 1. Hyperglycemia glyc = sugar hyper = excessive -emia = blood too much sugar in the blood Sentence: Patients with hyperglycemia need regular fasting blood glucose testing on antipsychotics.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
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| Medical Term | Root Word / Meaning | Prefix / Suffix / Meaning | Meaning of the Term | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperglycemia | glyc = sugar | hyper = excessive, -emia = blood | Excess sugar in the blood | Patients with hyperglycemia need regular fasting blood glucose testing. |
| Hypotension | tens = pressure | hypo = low, -ion = condition | Low blood pressure | Dizziness can result from hypotension after standing up. |
| Tachycardia | cardi = heart | tachy = fast, -ia = condition | Abnormally fast heart rate | The nurse monitored the patient’s tachycardia after surgery. |
| Bradycardia | cardi = heart | brady = slow, -ia = condition | Abnormally slow heart rate | Bradycardia may require a pacemaker in severe cases. |
| Dermatitis | dermat = skin | -itis = inflammation | Inflammation of the skin | The child developed dermatitis due to an allergic reaction. |
| Osteoporosis | osteo = bone | -porosis = porous condition | A condition where bones become weak and brittle | Elderly women are at high risk for osteoporosis. |
| Arthritis | arthr = joint | -itis = inflammation | Inflammation of the joints | Arthritis often causes pain and stiffness in the joints. |
| Nephrology | nephr = kidney | -logy = study of | Study of the kidneys | Nephrology is a medical specialty focused on kidney care. |
| Gastroenteritis | gastr = stomach, enter = intestine | -itis = inflammation | Inflammation of the stomach and intestines | Gastroenteritis can cause vomiting and diarrhea. |
| Hematology | hemat = blood | -logy = study of | Study of blood and blood diseases | The hematology department handled all blood disorder cases. |
Explanation
Understanding medical terms is essential for anyone entering the healthcare field. Medical terminology is primarily built from Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes. These components help professionals understand, communicate, and document medical information effectively.
Root words form the core of a term and convey the essential meaning, usually referring to a body part or function (e.g., “cardi” = heart, “nephr” = kidney). Prefixes modify the root word by providing additional context such as quantity, location, or time (e.g., “hyper-” = excessive, “brady-” = slow). Suffixes indicate procedures, conditions, or diseases (e.g., “-itis” = inflammation, “-emia” = blood condition).
For example, in “hyperglycemia”, “glyc” refers to sugar, “hyper” means excessive, and “-emia” relates to blood. Thus, hyperglycemia describes an excessive amount of sugar in the blood—a common condition in diabetes.
Using this structure, terms can be broken down logically. “Arthritis” (“arthr” = joint, “-itis” = inflammation) means inflammation of the joints. Similarly, “osteoporosis” (“osteo” = bone, “-porosis” = porous condition) describes a disease where bones become fragile and porous.
This system allows healthcare workers worldwide to understand medical language, even across different languages. It promotes accuracy in diagnoses, treatments, and documentation. Learning to decode terms by their parts not only builds vocabulary but also deepens understanding of the conditions and the human body.
