Chapter 1 - Introduction to Pathophysiology Flashcards
The use of these three basic building blocks, the signs related to the specific site of damage and the signs related to the pathological process taking place, facilitates the study of a specific disease
Pathophysiology
Under normal conditions, a relatively constant or stable internal environment is maintained within the body with regard to such factors as blood pressure, body temperature, and fluid balance
Homeostasis
A disease or abnormal condition usually involves changes at the organ or system (gross) level as well as at the cellular level
Microscopic
Excision of very small amounts of living tissue
Biopsy
Examination after death
Autopsy
The identification of a specific disease through evaluation of signs and symptoms, laboratory tests, or other tools
Diagnosis
Concerns the causative factors in a particular disease. There may be one or several causative factors such as:
congenital defects, inherited or genetic disorders, microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria, immunologic dysfunction, metabolic derangements, degenerative changes, malignancy, burns and other trauma, environmental factors, and nutritional deficiencies
Etiology
When the cause of a disease is unknown
Idiopathic
When a treatment, a procedure, or an error may cause a disease
Iatrogenic
Encompass the tendencies that promote development of a disease in an individual
Predisposing factors
A predisposing factors indicates _____________ for the disease but not certain development
High risk
Closely linked to etiology and predisposing factors for a specific disease
Prevention
The development of the disease or the sequence of events involved in the tissue changes related to the specific disease process
Pathogenesis
The _________ of a disease may be _________ and obvious, or _________.
Example: gastroenteritis with vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea
Onset, sudden, acute
Disease indicates a short-term illness that develops very quickly with marked signs such as high fever or severe pain, for example, appendicitis
Acute
Disease that is often a milder condition developing gradually, but it persists for a long time and usually causes more permanent tissue damage, marked by acute episodes
Example: Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic
A state exists in some conditions in which pathological changes occur, but no obvious manifestations are exhibited by the patient
Subclinical
An initial silent stage, in which no clinical signs are evident, characterizes some diseases
Latent
In an infectious disease, the time between exposure to the microorganism and the onset of signs or symptoms. May last a few days or for a few weeks. Often a disease is communicable during this time
Incubation period
Comprises the time in the early development of a disease when one is aware of a change in the body, but the signs are nonspecific
Example: fatigue, loss of appetite, headache
Prodromal period
Clinical evidence or effects, and the signs and symptoms of disease
Example: redness and swelling
Manifestations of a disease
Found at the site of the problem
Local
General indicators of illness
Example: fever
Systemic
Objective indicators of disease that are obvious to someone other than the affected individuals
Example: fever, skin rash
Signs
Subjective feelings
Example: pain and nausea
Symptoms
Used to describe a specific local change in the tissue
Example: blister or pimple
Lesion
A collection of signs and symptoms, often affecting more than one organ, that usually occur together in response to a certain condition
Syndrome
Laboratory tests that assist in the diagnosis of a specific disease
Example: chemical analysis of body fluids such as blood
Diagnostic
The manifestations of the disease subside
Remissions
The manifestations and signs of the disease increase
Exacerbations
A condition that triggers an acute episode
Example: a seizure in an individual with a seizure disorder
A precipitating factor
New secondary or additional problems that arise after the original disease begins
Example: such as congestive heart failure following a heart attack
Complications
Treatment measures used to promote recovery or slow the progress of a disease
Therapy
Potential unwanted outcomes of the primary condition
Example: paralysis following a stroke
Sequelae
The period of recovery and return to the normal healthy state, it may last for several days or months
Convalescence or Rehabilitation
Defines the probability, or likelihood for recovery or other outcomes
Prognosis
Indicates the disease rates within a group
Morbidity
Indicates the relative number of deaths resulting from a particular disease
Mortality
The science of tracking a pattern or occurrence of disease
Epidemiology
Occur when there are a higher than expected number of cases of an infectious disease within a given area
Epidemics
Involve higher numbers if cases in many regions of the globe
Pandemics
Tracked by recording 2 factors: incidence and prevalence
Occurance
Indicates the number of new cases in a given population noted within a stated time period
Incidence
The number of new and old or existing cases within a specific population and time period
Prevalence
Infections that can be spread from one person to another
Communicable diseases
Diseases that must be reported by the physician to certain designated authorities
Notifiable or Reportable
May be performed after death to determine the exact cause of death, or determine the course of the illness and effectiveness of treatment
Autopsy or Postmortem Examination
Refers to decrease in the size of cells, resulting in a reduced tissue mass
Atrophy
Refers to an increase in the size of individual cells, resulting in an enlarged tissue mass
Hypertrophy
Defined as an increased number of cells resulting in an enlarged tissue mass
Hyperplasia
Occurs when one mature cell type is replaced by a different cell type
Metaplasia
The term applied to tissue in which the cells vary in size and shape, large nuclei are frequently present, and the rate of mitosis is increased
Dysplasia
Refers to cells that are undifferentiated with variable nuclear and cell structures and numerous mitotic figures, a characteristic of cancer, aggressiveness of a tumor
Anaplasia
Means “new growth”, commonly called a tumor
Malignant - cancer
Benign - less serious because they do not spread and are not life threatening unless they are found in certain locations (e.g. Brain)
Neoplasm
Refers to programmed cell death, a normal occurrence in the body, which may increase when cell development is abnormal, cell numbers are excessive, or cells are injured or aged
Apoptosis
Deficit of oxygen in the cells
Ischemia
Reduced oxygen in the tissue
Hypoxia
In the absence of oxygen
Anaerobic
The environment
Exogenous
Inside the body
Endogenous
Living organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye
Example: bacteria and viruses
Microorganisms
Structural changes
Morphologic
Dissolution, destruction of a cell
Lysis
Destructive
Lysosomal
Swelling, redness, and pain
Inflammation
Term used when a group of cells die
Necrosis
Refers to a process by which dead cells liquefy under the influence of certain cell enzymes
Liquefaction necrosis
Occurs when the cell proteins are altered or denatured and the cells retain some form for a time after death
Example: frying an egg
Coagulative necrosis
Occurs when fatty tissue is broken down into fatty acids in the presence of infection or certain enzymes, may increase inflammation
Fat necrosis
A form of coagulation necrosis in which a thick, yellowish, “cheesy” substance forms
Example: Tuberculosis
Caseous Necrosis
Term applied to an area of dead cells resulting from the lack of oxygen
Infarction
Refers to an area of necrotic tissue that has been invaded by bacteria
Gangrene
