Obtund

Obtund

Obtunded refers to a patient that has less than full mental capacity, typically as a result of a medical condition or trauma. The root word, obtund, means dulled or less sharp.

When a medic first assesses a patient, she/he is checking to see if the person is "A&O times 3", which means they are alert and oriented, and knows who he is, where he is located, the current time. If the patient has any difficulty answering these questions, the medic may say he is obtunded or "A&O times 2" and so on.


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  • Obtund — Ob*tund , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Obtunded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Obtunding}.] [L. obtundere, obtusum; ob (see {Ob }) + tundere to strike or beat. See {Stutter}.] To reduce the edge, pungency, or violent action of; to dull; to blunt; to deaden; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • obtund — I verb abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, assuage, benumb, blunt, calm, deaden, desensitize, dull, ease, impair the force of, make blunt, make less violent, mitigate, moderate, modulate, numb, palliate, quell, quiet, reduce the edge, reduce… …   Law dictionary

  • obtund — (v.) c.1400, (trans.) to render dead, make dull, used occasionally in English, especially in medical jargon; from L. obtundere to beat against (see OBTUSE (Cf. obtuse)). Related: Obtundation; obtunded …   Etymology dictionary

  • obtund — [äb tund′] vt. [ME obtunden < L obtundere, to strike at, blunt < ob (see OB ) + tundere, to strike < IE * (s)teud , to strike > STOCK] to make blunt or dull; make less acute; deaden …   English World dictionary

  • obtund — verb /əbˈtʌnd,ɒbˈtʌnd,əbˈtənd,ɑbˈtʌnd/ To reduce the edge or effects of; to mitigate; to dull. the use of alcoholic decoctions which are given as medicines to allay pain, obtund nerve sensibility, to cure the little sufferer of his vital… …   Wiktionary

  • obtund — To dull or blunt, especially to blunt sensation or deaden pain. [L. ob tundo, pp. tusus, to beat against, blunt] * * * ob·tund äb tənd vt to reduce the intensity or sensitivity of: make dull <obtunded reflexes> <agents that obtund… …   Medical dictionary

  • obtund — transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin obtundere Date: 14th century to reduce the edge or violence of ; dull < obtunded reflexes > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • obtund — obtundent, adj. obtundity, n. /ob tund /, v.t. to blunt; dull; deaden. [1350 1400; ME < L obtundere to beat at, equiv. to ob OB + tundere to strike] * * * …   Universalium

  • obtund — É‘b tÊŒnd /É’b v. make blunt (a point, knife, etc.); dull (pain) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • obtund — [əb tʌnd] verb chiefly Medicine dull the sensitivity of; deaden. Origin ME: from L. obtundere, from ob against + tundere to beat …   English new terms dictionary

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