10.

1 Body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage

1.1 Introduction to medical terminology

Medical terminology
What do you think medical terminology means? Write your answer in the space below. Try
to include any medical terms that you might know.

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It's the science of medical
words or phrases to describe a
case or disease.

Discussion: When is medical terminology used?

In small groups, discuss when you might need to use medical terminology.
Make notes below.

To get knowledge about medical.

To help patients in emergency cases.
To volunteer someday.

10 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Ac
tiv True or false?
ity
1

Decide if the following statements about medical terminology are true or false:
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Medical terminology: True False

Identifies the treatment that a patient needs

Describes the condition of a patient

Is different in each hospital

Allows healthcare professionals to communicate

Saves time in a medical emergency

Is not used in medical emergencies

Ac
t

Using medical terminology

iv
ity
2

Write a sentence about why understanding medical terminology is useful.

1. If you are talking to your doctor:

It will help you to understand your

doctor when he \ she uses medical
terms.
2. If you want to study a healthcare related course at university:

It will be useful to already know some

medical terminology.

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 11

 1.2 Medical root words, prefixes, suffixes
and combining vowels
What does it mean?
What do each of the following mean?
Prefix:
Letters or word that added at the begging

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of a word.
Root word:
The basic part of a word.

Suffix:
The lettera or word that's added to the
end of a word to change it's meaning.
Combining vowel:
Used between hard saying words.
Ac
t

Match the root words

iv
ity
3

Match the medical root word with its meaning.

arthr refers to the bones

heam refers to the heart

lipid refers to the joints

osteo refers to fats

cardio refers to the blood

12 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Ac
tiv Practise the root words
ity
4

Your teacher will pronounce each of the root words and their meanings from the
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textbook. As a group, repeat each one after your teacher.

If you find it difficult to say any of the words, write them in the following space so
that you can practise later.

- Arthr (joint) - Gastr (stomach)

- Phleb (vein) - Carcin (cancer)
- Glyc (sugar) - Psych (mind)
- Cardi (heart) - heam (boold)
- Pulmon (lungs) - Chem (chemical)
- Lipid (fat) - Thromb (clot)
- Derm (skin) - Osteo (bones)
Ac
t

Prefixes
iv
ity
5

Answer the questions about prefixes.

1. Would a prefix come before or after a root word?

Prefixes come before a root word.

2. Does every medical word have a prefix?

No.
3. Can a prefix change the meaning of a word?

yes.

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 13

 1.2 Medical root words, prefixes, suffixes
and combining vowels
Ac
tiv Word meanings
ity
6

Look at the words below. The first one has no prefix, but the second one does have

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a prefix.
Write what each of the words means to see how a prefix can change the meaning
of a word.
happy:

Happy in the root word.

unhappy:

Un is a prefix and added to happy so it means

not happy.
Ac
t

Medical prefixes
iv
ity
7

In the spaces, write what medical prefix is being described.

Prefix meaning Prefix Prefix meaning Prefix

without, or lack of a- or an- too high hyper-

away from, or off ab- too low hypo-
against anti- between inter-
before ante- within intra-
slow brady- muscle myo-
above or upper epi- fast tachy-

14 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Ac
tiv Medical suffixes
ity
8
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When used in medical terminology, what are the three things that a suffix added
to a word usually refers to?

A condition/ A procedure/ A disease.

Ac
t

Select the suffix

iv
ity
9

In each of the words, highlight or underline which part is the suffix.

neuropathy
arthritis
carcinogenic
biology
osteoporosis
hyperthyroidism
leukaemia
Notes:

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 15

 10.2 Therapeutic diets

1.2 Medical root words, prefixes, suffixes

and combining vowels
Ac
tiv Combining vowels
ity
10

In medical terminology, what does a combining vowel do? Circle the correct

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answer.

A combining vowel changes the meaning of medical words.

A combining vowel makes medical words easier to say.

A combining vowel separates medical words.

Ac
t

Missing combining vowels

iv
ity
11

Each of the words below is missing a combining vowel. Write the word out again
with the combining vowel added in the correct place.

1. haemglobin hemoglobin
2. carcingenic carcinogenic
3. immuntherapy immunotherapy
4. gastrenteritis gastroenteritis
5. acidsis acidosis
6. raditherapy radiotherapy
Once you finish, your teacher will check that you have the correct spelling for each
word.
Now practise saying each of the words in order. First, try saying the word without
the combining vowel, then say the word with the combining vowel added. Which
one is easier to pronounce?

16 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 1.2 Medical root words, prefixes, suffixes
and combining vowels

Word Meaning

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Abnormal away from normal

Hypoglycaemia
A condition where the thyroid
is overactive
Biology Study of the body

Osteoporosis Condition of the bones

Epidermis Upper layer of the skin

Anaemia
Blood condition
Tachycardia Fast heart rate

Hyperglycaemia To little sugar in the blood

Dermatology
Is the branch of medical
dealing with the skin
Bradycardia Slow heartbeat

18 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 10.3 Diet for disease

1.3 Medical record reports

Parts of a medical record report
Fill in the missing parts of what information is usually included on a medical record report.

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1. Personal information

2. Medical history
3. Medical complaint
4. Physical examination results

5. Test results and diagnosis

6. Treatment plan and process report
Ac
t

Personal information
iv
ity
13

In the spaces, write what part of personal information is being described on the
right. The first one has been done for you.

Medical record report

Name: Maryam Al Balushi

Date of birth 12 October, 1994

Gender Female

Ethnicity UAE, Muslim, Arabic and English

Contact Villa 6, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

information 056 50000000, mbalushi@gmail

20 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Ac
tiv Taking personal information
ity
41

Work in pairs. Ask your partner questions about their personal information to fill
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into the medical record report below.

Medical record report

Name:

Date of birth (DOB):

Gender:

Ethnicity:
Ac
t

Medical history
iv
ity
15

Select the correct answers about why it is important to record a patient’s medical
history on a medical report.
It is important to ask It can help diagnose their current medical issue.
about other medical
conditions they have The doctor will not need to examine them if they
because: have other conditions.

It is important to ask They need to stop taking it straight away.

if they are taking any
medication because: Some medications should not be taken with others.

It is important to The patient could be allergic to certain medications.

ask if they have any
allergies because: They might want to get a puppy.

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 21

 1.3 Medical record reports
Ac
tiv Sign or symptom?
ity
61

Which sentence describes a sign of an illness, and which describes a symptom of

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an illness? Write sign or symptom in the correct box.

Evidence of an illness that can be seen by others,

such as a skin rash or a cough
sign
A feeling or physical change experienced by a
patient, such as pain
symptom
Ac
t

Medical complaints
iv
ity
17

Which of these do you think are signs and symptoms of a medical complaint?
Circle all that apply.
skin rash vomiting difficulty breathing

pain cough eye colour

hair colour tiredness fever

Ac
t

Physical examination
iv
ity
18

List three things that will be checked during a patient’s physical examination.

Height and weight

Blood pressures
Temperature

22 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Ac
tiv Medical terms in a medical record report
ity
91

Below is some medical terminology that could be used in a medical report to

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describe a patient’s condition. Answer the questions in the spaces provided.

Vital Blood pressure reading 105/60, (hypotension)

statistics Pulse rate 50bpm, (bradycardic)

Does the patient have high or low blood pressure?

Low blood pressure

Do they have a high or low pulse rate?

Low pulse rate

Body The patient has normal joints in the arms and hands.
systems The patient has abnormal joints in the knees.

In which area of the patient’s body are the joints not normal?

In the knees

Test results The results show that the patient has arthritis and hypotension.

What are these two conditions?

Painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

Low blood pressure.

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 23

 1.3 Medical record reports
Ac
tiv What do the medical terms mean?
ity
02

What do the highlighted medical terms mean? Write your answers below.

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The physical examination results show that the patient is
overweight. They have mild hypertension and mild tachycardia.
Test results The X-ray results show no abnormalities in the chest area.
The blood test results show that the patient has
hyperglycaemia.
hyperglycaemia
Hypertension:

High blood pressure.

Hyperglycaemia:

High levels of sugar.

Ac
t

Fill in a medical record report

iv
ity
21

Practise filling in a medical record report using the information below.

Fatima Ibrahim was born in the UAE on the 20 March 1960. She has lived in the UAE
all her life. She has been feeling unwell for two days.
Fatima says she has high blood pressure. She takes medication for high blood
pressure. She has no allergies.
She feels weak and tired and has pain in her chest.
Fatima is 160cm tall and weighs 75kg. She has a high blood pressure reading of
160/90, and her pulse rate is higher than normal at 95bpm. Her breathing rate is 16
breaths per minute and her body temperature is 37 degrees. No other tests have
been carried out.

24 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

Medical record report

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Name: Fatima Ibrahim

Date of birth (DOB): 20 March 1960

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: UAE, Arabic

Medical conditions: High blood pressure

Medications for high blood
Medications:
pressure
Allergies: No allergies
Medical complaint:
(signs and
week and tired, pain in her chest
symptoms)
Height: 160cm
Weight: 75kg
Physical
Blood pressure: 160/90
examination:
Pulse: 95bpm
(vital statistics)
Respiration: 16 breath each minute
Temperature: 37 degrees

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 25

 1.4 Responding to medical instructions
Discussion: Responding to medical instructions
Can you think of any times when you might need to understand and respond
to medical instructions? Discuss in small groups and make notes below.
Share your ideas with the class.

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Such as when talking to your doctor
or during a first aid situation. Then
you may be give directions from a
medical professional over the phone.
Ac
t

Recognising parts of the body

iv
ity
22

If you visit a healthcare professional, they may use medical terminology to describe
different conditions. If they say the following terms, what part of the body do you
think they are referring to? Write your answers in the spaces provided.

Medical term Body part

Pulmonary disease respiratory system

Cardiovascular disease heart or blood
Dermatitis skin
Arthritis joint inflammation

26 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK
10.4 Blood glucose monitoring

Ac
tiv Common medical terms
ity
3 2

Match the medical word with the description.

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A disease that can be spread to other

Chronic
people by germs

A disease or illness that lasts three

Prognosis
months or more

When the symptoms of the patient’s

Infectious
disease get better (but are not cured)

Diagnosis Having an illness that cannot be cured

A doctor's opinion about how

Remission someone will recover from an illness
or injury

This is when a medical professional

Terminal identifies the disease or illness that a
patient has

Having a sickness that can be passed

Contagious
to someone else by touching

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 27

 1.4 Responding to medical instructions
Ac
tiv Visiting the doctor quiz
ity
4 2

Work in pairs or small groups. Complete the quiz about visiting the doctor.

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1. If you need to see a doctor, you will 2. You need to tell the doctor your:
have to make:
a. symptoms.
a. a visit.
b. sensations.
b. an appointment.
c. job.
c. a cake.
3. A skin rash is a: 4. You have had a fever for two days. Is
the illness:
a. signal.
a. acute?
b. type of animal.
b. chronic?
c. sign.
5. If your doctor says your disease is 6. What can be used make you feel
infectious, what do they mean? better or healthy again?
a. Only you can have it. a. ice cream.
b. It can spread to another person. b. treatment.
c. a new haircut.
7. If the doctor says your symptoms are 8. An illness that cannot be cured is
in ‘remission’, what do they mean? called:
a. Your disease is better, but not cured. a. terminal.
b. Your disease is cured. b. acute.
c. an infection.
9. This type of sickness can be passed 10. When the doctor identifies what
to someone through touching. disease you have, it is called a:
a. contagious. a. lucky guess.
b. chronic. b. diagnosis.

28 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

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Ac
tiv Responding to medical terminology
ity
5 2
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Work in pairs. One person should be the doctor, and one should be the patient.
The doctor should read the questions below. Then the patient should respond with
their answer. Write your responses or answers in the spaces provided.
Once all the questions have been asked and answered, swap over so that you both
have a turn at being the doctor or the patient.
Medical professional: “Can you give me your personal information?”
Patient’s response:

Name, Age, Birthday, Email, Phone Number

Medical professional: “Do you have any allergies?”

Patient’s response (write any allergies you have):

No

Medical professional: “Do you take any medication?”

Patient’s response (write any medicines you take):

No

Medical professional: “You have an acute infectious disease.”

What does the doctor mean?

No

Medical professional: ‘You have a terminal illness, but it is in remission.”

What does the doctor mean?

No

Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 29

 1.5 Spell and pronounce medical
terminology
Medical words

Below are some medical words which are written back to front. Can you tell what they are?

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Spell the words correctly.
Example: yhtaporuen = neuropathy
sitirhtra =arthritis
esaesid = disease
lamronba = abnormal
ygoloib = biology

simredipe = epidermis
Ac
t

Spelling medical terms

iv
ity
26

Read the following definitions. Write the medical term they are describing in the
spaces provided.

Definition Medical term

A condition of the bones Bone disease/osteoporosis

The upper layer of skin The skin (Human Anatomy)

Within the veins Blood vessels

Too little sugar in the blood Hypoglycemi
a
The study of the body Anatomy

30 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 1.5 Spell and pronounce medical
terminology
Ac
tiv
ity
8 2 Syllables

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Split the medical words in the table below into their syllables. Some of the table has
been filled in for you.
Number of syllables
2 3
painful painkiller
pain-ful pain-kill-er
………………………….

hyper abnormal
hy-per
…………………………. ab-nor-mal

disease infection
dis-ease
…………………………. in-fec-tion
………………………….
Ac
t

Identify the stressed syllable

iv
ity
29

In pairs, look at the medical terms below. They have been split into their syllables.
Say each of the words and decide which part should be stressed by underlining or
highlighting the correct part.

ar-thr-itis

ab-nor-mal

hy-per-thy-roid-ism

bi-ol-o-gy

32 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 End of unit quiz
1. Why is it important to understand medical terminology?

Because when you used medical professionals

to communicate will be easily and quickly.

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2. Match the medical term with its meaning.

carcin chemical

phleb sugar

chemo skin

derma vein

gastr stomach

glyc clot

psych poison

nasal cancer

thromb nose

toxo mind

36 G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology Health Sciences

 GENERAL WORKBOOK

3. Which of the following should be included in a medical record report? Circle

the correct answers.

Friends’ names Home address Likes and dislikes

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Allergies Medical complaint Vehicle information

Date of birth Medical test results Ethnicity

4. What should you do if you are at the scene of a medical emergency? Tick all
that apply.

Listen carefully to any instructions from medical

professionals.

Don’t call the emergency services, try to treat the person

yourself.

Give first aid if you are qualified and instructed to do so by a

medical professional.

Say what is happening as clearly as possible.

5. What is word stress?

leu-kae-mi-a ar-thri-tis ab-nor-mal

in-ter-cel-lu-lar bi-ol-o-gy an-ti-bac-te-ri-a
gy-per-thy-roid-ism l
an-aes-thet-ic
os-te-o-po-ro-sis
Health Sciences G12 – Term 1 – Unit 1: Medical terminology 37