L1 - Introduction to General Pathology

Question 1

General pathology

Answer 1

the mechanisms and characteristics of the main disease processes (e.g. inflammation, tumours, degeneration, adaptation to stimuli)

Question 2

Systematic pathology

Answer 2

the descriptions of specific diseases as they affect individual organs or organ systems (e.g. appendicitis, lung cancer, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, cardiovascular)

Question 3

Epidemiology

Answer 3

incidence, prevalence, distribution,

prevention

Question 4

Aetiology

Answer 4

cause (genetic, infective, chemicals, radiation, mechanical trauma, iatrogenic)

Question 5

Pathogenesis

Answer 5

mechanism causing the disease

Question 6

Complications and sequelae

Answer 6

second degree outcomes, causes and effects

Question 7

Prognosis

Answer 7

likely outcome for the patient-cure, remission,

fate

Question 8

Cause and Probability of disease

Answer 8

• Entirely genetic
• Mutifactorial
• Entirely environmental
• Not always linear
• Host predisposition

Question 9

Types of host predisposition

Answer 9

• Predictable (physical injury-no host factors-results are dose related e.g. radiation, physical)
• Probable (infection-No., of bugs)
• Precursor effect (premalignant phase)
• Permissive (one condition predisposes another HIV-AIDS related infection and tumours, GVH)

Question 10

Multifactorial pathogenesis

Answer 10

• Inflammation-response to injury (foreign body, acute inflammation, abscess, resolution, scar)

• Degeneration - age, CVD, trauma (progressive vascular restriction lead to reduction in function of
organs e.g.kidney & CRF)

• Carcinogenesis - initiator and promoter (smoking, cough, COAD, haemoptysis, neoplastic change)
• Immune reactions - humoral, cell mediated (exposure to Ag, Ab response, tissue changes-degeneration, proliferation, tumour)

Question 11

Structural abnormalities

Answer 11

• Space occupying lesions (tumours)
• Storage disease (glycogen, amyloid)
• Loss of healthy tissue (ulceration infarction)
• Obstruction (vascular occlusion, BPH, asthma)
• Rupture of hollow structures (aneurysm,
intestinal perforation)

Question 12

Functional abnormalities

Answer 12

• Excessive secretion of a cell product (hormones,
nasal secretions in common cold)
• Insufficient secretion (insulin)
• Impaired neuromuscular function

Question 13

Epidemiology

Answer 13

• The pathology of populations
• Includes the incidence, prevalence, remission
and mortality rates of a disease
• Variations may provide clues to aetiology and guide
optimal use of health care resources

Question 14

Why do we study Epidemiology?

Answer 14

• providing aetiological clues
• planning preventive measures
• provision of adequate medical facilities
• population screening for early diagnosis

Question 15

Incidence rate

Answer 15

• the incidence rate is the number of new cases of
the disease occurring in a population of defined
size during a defined period

Question 16

Prevalence rate

Answer 16

• the prevalence rate is the number of cases of the
disease to be found in a defined population at a
stated time

Question 17

Remission rate

Answer 17

• the remission rate is the proportion of cases of the

disease that recover

Question 18

Mortality rate

Answer 18

• the mortality rate is the number or percentage of

deaths from a disease in a defined population