HESI (Health and Environmental Sciences Institute) Health Assessment Practice Test

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Prepare for the HESI Health Assessment Test. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each offering hints and explanations. Tackle your exam with confidence!

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What does the term 'abdominal borborygmi' refer to?

  1. A loud continuous hum

  2. A peritoneal friction rub

  3. Hypoactive bowel sounds

  4. Hyperactive bowel sounds

The correct answer is: Hyperactive bowel sounds

The term 'abdominal borborygmi' refers specifically to the audible sounds produced by the movement of gas and fluid in the intestines, which is often experienced during digestion. These sounds are characterized by being loud and can be indicative of hyperactive bowel sounds. In a clinical setting, hyperactive bowel sounds may suggest increased gastrointestinal activity, potentially due to conditions like diarrhea, hunger, or gastrointestinal irritation. Understanding this term in context is important. While hypoactive bowel sounds indicate reduced gastrointestinal activity, and a peritoneal friction rub refers to a different sound related to an inflamed peritoneum, borborygmi distinctly signifies the increased sounds from hyperactive bowels. Therefore, recognizing the characteristics of borborygmi helps differentiate it from other related terms and contributes to accurate assessments in health care settings.