1 - Intro Flashcards
Pathology
Study of:
- The nature of the disease
- The cause of the disease
- The condition produced by the disease
Pathophysiology
Study of how normal physiological processes are altered by disease
Diagnosis
Identification of a specific disease through the evaluation of signs and symptoms, lab tests, imaging tests etc.
Prognosis
Refers to probability for recovery
(prediction or forecast regarding the possible outcome of the course and the end of the disease)
Etiology
Cause of disease. EG congenital defects, inherited, malignancy, trauma, etc. *may be one or several
Iatrogenic
Disease caused by
the treatment/activities of a
physician or surgeon. (Medical
treatment). EG bladder infection after catheterization.
Idiopathic
Cause of the disease is unknown.
Predisposing factors
Susceptibility to disease or
indicating a high risk for a
disease. EG occupational
exposure
Precipitating factors
Condition/circumstance that
triggers an acute episode
Prevention
Keeping an illness from happening (vaccines, diet, lifestyle)
Pathogenesis
Development of the disease, “sequence of events” - tissue changes
Acute
Sudden onset of disease or
short termed (often with high fever, pain) EG appendicitis
Chronic
Often a milder condition but with a longer term (can have acute episodes) EG arthritis
Latent/incubation period
Initial stage of disease, no clinical signs
- Stage between exposure to microorganism (or
mechanism of damage) and the onset of signs and symptoms
Prodromal Period
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)
Signs
Objective indicators of disease that are obvious to someone else other than the affected individual. (EG rash, fever)
Symptoms
Subjective feelings/abnormality only felt by the affected individual (EG headache, nausea)
Syndrome
Collection of signs and symptoms that occur together in characteristic patterns. (EG down syndrome)
Manifestations of a disease
Clinical evidence or effect of a disease (signs and symptoms). Can be local or systemic.
Lesion
Structural chance or a specific local change in tissue, microscopic or visible. (EG tumour in liver)
Biopsy
Removal of a small piece of living tissue for microscopic examination to determine diagnosis
Autopsy
Postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body by a pathologist to determine cause of death.
Remission
During course of disease the manifestations have subsided
Exacerbation
Signs of the disease have increased
Complications
Additional or secondary problems that arise after original disease (EG pneumonia)
Sequelae
Potential unwanted outcomes of a primary condition (EG paralysis after stroke)
Therapy
Treatment measures used to promote recovery
or to slow the progress of the disease
Morbidity
Disease rates within a group
Mortality
Death rates resulting from a particular disease
Epidemiology
Science of tracking the pattern or the occurrence of disease. Records will include the
transmission rates and how it transmits
Incidence
of new cases noted within a stated period of time
Epidemic
Large # of cases of an infectious disease within
an area
Pandemic
High # of cases in several regions and possibly
worldwide
Communicable diseases
Infections that can be spread from one person to another
Reportable disease
(notifiable) a disease that must be reported by the physician to certain designated authorities
