Module 1 Foundations Flashcards
What is pathophysiology?
The study of the FUNCTIONAL changes of the normal structural, mechanical, and physical, and biochemical functions of our cells, tissues, and organs as a result of disease, injury, or condition
Why Study Pathophysiology?
- Helps the nurse recognize the underlying mechanisms of disease that the patient is manifesting as clinical signs and symptoms
- Nurses use pathophysiology every time they come in contact with a patient
Patho 4 interrelated topics
Etiology
Pathogenesis
Clinical manifestations
Treatment
Pathology meaning
-Study of the STRUCTUAL (anatomical/physiological) changes in cells, tissues and organs caused by disease or injury
-Biopsy or autopsy FINDINGS are used to make a DIAGNOSIS of disease and PROGNOSIS of healing
Pathologist’s use …
Findings/diagnostics to determine diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment
Biopsy
Tissue removal from living individual
Autopsy
Postmortem
Tissue removal following death of individual
Tissue samples
From either biopsy or autopsy will undergo microscopic, genetic, biological, and/or chemical diagnostic analysis
Findings
The diagnostics
Results of the lab and imaging tests utilized by the pathologist to determine diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment protocol
Diagnosis
The identification of the specific disease
Prognosis
The expected outcome of the disease
Therapy/therapeutics
The method of TREATMENT of the disease/illness with the goal of curing or at least reducing the patients signs and symptoms to a level of near normal function
Pathogen
- The disease causing organism/causative agent
- Sometimes called antigen
Antigen
- Self or foreign chemical that elicits adaptive immune response ( B or T lymphocyte response )
- Most are foreign antigens (microbes, foods, drugs, toxins, animals)
- Self antigens (eg. Cellular proteins) are causes of autoimmune disease
- If cause common manifestations of allergies, may be called allergens
Pathogenicity
The ability of the pathogen to cause disease
Pathogenic success depends on
Communicability
Virulence
Extent of tissue damage
Host susceptibility
Which is better, high pathogenicity of low
Low
Which is better, highly virulent or low virulent
Low
Which is better, highly susceptible host or low
Low
Disease vs Illness
Disease > homeostatic imbalance occurs > diagnostic proof, medical history, clinical manifestations (signs and symptoms) > able to adapt and continue with activities of daily living
Illness > individual feels “unhealthy” > diagnostic proof, medical history, clinical manifestations (sign and symptoms) > difficulty with activities of daily living
Disease
- The abnormal condition; the homeostatic imbalance
- Causes variations of cellular structure and/or function that are considered outside of normal range = loss of homeostatic balance required for optimal cellular functioning
Illness
- Suggests that individual is aware of homeostatic imbalance
Homeostatic imbalance
Presence of imbalance causing pathophysiologic clinical manifestations can be detected using diagnostic tools
Diagnostic tool examples
Blood chemistry
Imaging
DNA analysis