Medical Terminology Simplified

4–73 Because of airway obstruction, OSA patients stop breathing multiple times

each night. A/pnea is followed by a gasping breath that commonly awakens the pa-

tient and results in sleep deprivation, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating during the

day. This condition occurs most commonly in middle-aged, obese men who snore ex-

cessively.

Build a medical term that means

without or not breathing: /

painful or difficult breathing: /

4–74 Dys/pnea is normal when due to vigorous work or athletic activity.

Dys/pnea can also occur as a result of various disorders of the respiratory system,

such as pleurisy.

A patient with pleurisy may experience

/.

4–75 Eu/pnea is normal breathing, as distinguished from dys/pnea and a/pnea.

From eu/pnea, determine word elements that mean

good, normal:

breathing:

4–76 Orth/o/pnea is a condition in which there is labored breathing in any pos-

ture except in the erect sitting or standing position.

Identify word elements in this frame that mean

breathing:

straight: /

Frame 4–67to Frame 4–76

Respiratory System • CHAPTER 4 125

a/pnea

ĂP-nē-ă

dys/pnea

dĭsp-NĒ-ă

dys/pnea

dĭsp-NĒ-ă

eu-

-pnea

-pnea

orth/o

Uvula

Epiglottis

Trachea

Enlarged

tonsil causing

obstructive

sleep apnea

Positive pressure

provided by a fan

Nasal mask (pillows)

Figure 4-4Sleep apnea. (A)Airway obstruction caused by enlarged tonsils, eventually leading to obstructive sleep apnea.
(B)Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.

A B