Chapter 1: Terms Flashcards
Modifiable Risk Factor
A risk factor that the individual can change, such as diet or smoking.
Injury
Damage caused to the body by an external force.
Hypertension
A condition in which systolic blood pressure is higher than normal, which is less than 120/80 mmHg.
Sign
An objective indication of disease that is observable on physical assessment.
Pathophysiology
The study of functional alterations that occur at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ system levels that are involved in disease states.
Risk factor
Anything that puts a person at a greater risk for developing a particular disease.
Prevalence
The number of people in a specific population who have a certain disease or condition at a point in time or during a period of time.
Ischemia
A restriction of blood supply in the tissues that causes a shortage of oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism.
Morbidity
A departure from physiologic or psychologic well-being, encompassing disease, injury, and disability.
Mortality
The number of deaths in a given population.
Pathogenesis
The sequence of events in response to one or more etiologic agents involving structural and/or functional alterations in cells, tissues, or organs that result in disease.
Evidence-based practice (EBP)
The conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in patient care decision making; includes integrating clinical expertise with consideration paid to the patient’s values and preferences.
Syndrome
A collection of symptoms associated with a particular disease.
Public health
The science of protecting and improving the health of families and communities through promotion of healthy lifestyles, research for disease and injury prevention, and detection and control of infectious diseases
Idiopathic
Any disease or condition for which the etiology cannot be determined.
Incidence
The number of new cases of a disease or condition that occur during a specified period of time in a population that is at risk for developing the disease or condition.
Symptom
A subjective sensation indicative of disease that is perceived by the affected individual but not observable on physical examination.
Illness
The presence of a disease or other disruption of normative function.
Iatrogenic
The etiology of conditions that are caused unintentionally by a treatment or diagnostic procedure or an error caused by a healthcare provider.
Pathology
A medical discipline focused on structural alterations in tissues and organs.
Exacerbation
An increase in the severity or intensity of a disease.
Disease
An impairment of some functional ability that results in the appearance of symptoms.
Clinical manifestations
The signs and symptoms typically associated with a disease state, including alterations in diagnostic tests such as imaging studies and biochemical analyses of bodily fluids.
Nonmodifiable risk factor
A risk factor that an individual cannot change, such as age, race, and genetic variables.
