1 - Intro

Question 1

Pathology

Answer 1

Study of:
- The nature of the disease
- The cause of the disease
- The condition produced by the disease

Question 2

Pathophysiology

Answer 2

Study of how normal physiological processes are altered by disease

Question 3

Diagnosis

Answer 3

Identification of a specific disease through the evaluation of signs and symptoms, lab tests, imaging tests etc.

Question 4

Prognosis

Answer 4

Refers to probability for recovery
(prediction or forecast regarding the possible outcome of the course and the end of the disease)

Question 5

Etiology

Answer 5

Cause of disease. EG congenital defects, inherited, malignancy, trauma, etc. *may be one or several

Question 6

Iatrogenic

Answer 6

Disease caused by
the treatment/activities of a
physician or surgeon. (Medical
treatment). EG bladder infection after catheterization.

Question 7

Idiopathic

Answer 7

Cause of the disease is unknown.

Question 8

Predisposing factors

Answer 8

Susceptibility to disease or
indicating a high risk for a
disease. EG occupational
exposure

Question 9

Precipitating factors

Answer 9

Condition/circumstance that
triggers an acute episode

Question 10

Prevention

Answer 10

Keeping an illness from happening (vaccines, diet, lifestyle)

Question 11

Pathogenesis

Answer 11

Development of the disease, “sequence of events” - tissue changes

Question 12

Acute

Answer 12

Sudden onset of disease or
short termed (often with high fever, pain) EG appendicitis

Question 13

Chronic

Answer 13

Often a milder condition but with a longer term (can have acute episodes) EG arthritis

Question 14

Latent/incubation period

Answer 14

Initial stage of disease, no clinical signs
- Stage between exposure to microorganism (or
mechanism of damage) and the onset of signs and symptoms

Question 15

Prodromal Period

Answer 15

Refers to the time during the early development of a disease when one is aware of a change in the body, but signs are non-
specific. (EG fatigue, loss of appetite)

Question 16

Signs

Answer 16

Objective indicators of disease that are obvious to someone else other than the affected individual. (EG rash, fever)

Question 17

Symptoms

Answer 17

Subjective feelings/abnormality only felt by the affected individual (EG headache, nausea)

Question 18

Syndrome

Answer 18

Collection of signs and symptoms that occur together in characteristic patterns. (EG down syndrome)

Question 19

Manifestations of a disease

Answer 19

Clinical evidence or effect of a disease (signs and symptoms). Can be local or systemic.

Question 20

Lesion

Answer 20

Structural chance or a specific local change in tissue, microscopic or visible. (EG tumour in liver)

Question 21

Biopsy

Answer 21

Removal of a small piece of living tissue for microscopic examination to determine diagnosis

Question 22

Autopsy

Answer 22

Postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body by a pathologist to determine cause of death.

Question 23

Remission

Answer 23

During course of disease the manifestations have subsided

Question 24

Exacerbation

Answer 24

Signs of the disease have increased

Question 25

Complications

Answer 25

Additional or secondary problems that arise after original disease (EG pneumonia)

Question 26

Sequelae

Answer 26

Potential unwanted outcomes of a primary condition (EG paralysis after stroke)

Question 27

Therapy

Answer 27

Treatment measures used to promote recovery
or to slow the progress of the disease

Question 28

Morbidity

Answer 28

Disease rates within a group

Question 29

Mortality

Answer 29

Death rates resulting from a particular disease

Question 30

Epidemiology

Answer 30

Science of tracking the pattern or the occurrence of disease. Records will include the
transmission rates and how it transmits

Question 31

Incidence

Answer 31

of new cases noted within a stated period of time

Question 32

Epidemic

Answer 32

Large # of cases of an infectious disease within
an area

Question 33

Pandemic

Answer 33

High # of cases in several regions and possibly
worldwide

Question 34

Communicable diseases

Answer 34

Infections that can be spread from one person to another

Question 35

Reportable disease

Answer 35

(notifiable) a disease that must be reported by the physician to certain designated authorities