Pathophysiology Terms Flashcards
pathology
Study of disease.
pathophysiology
Study of effects and progression of disease and injury.
signs
Objectively observable phenomena of disease process.
symptoms
Patient’s subjective sensations of the body’s responses to disease.
anaphylaxis
Severe allergic reaction
pneumothorax
A collapsed lung.
pulmonary edema
Fluid in the lungs.
hypoxia
Lack of oxygen.
sodium/potassium pump
System that maintains chemical and electrical gradient across the cell membrane, allowing for functions like depolarization, transport, and signalling.
Largest consumer of ATP in the body.
One cycle = One ATP
Moves 3 Na out of cell
Moves 2 K into cell
(Inequality maintains osmotic gradient.)
pyruvate
Result of glycolysis.
One GLU -> 2 pyruvate + 4 ATP.
lactic acid
In the absense of Oxygen,
pyruvate is converted into lactic acid
during anaerobic metabolism.
apoptosis
Cellular-directed death, and release of lysosomal enzymes furthering destruction of apoptotic cell AND surrounding cells.
anatomical dead space
The 150mL of air that remains in conducting portion of the airways and is not subject to gas exchange.
atelectasis
Collapse of alveoli due to loss of surfactant.
pulmonary embolism
An obstruction to blood flow through the pulmonary circulation.
respiratory failure
Loss of ability to deliver sufficient oxygen to cells.
Failure to compensate.
Progresses to respiratory arrest.
respiratory arrest
Ceasing respiration. Leads to cardiac arrest and death.
asphyxiation
A MOI that causes inability to obtain oxygen, for example drowning or respiratory failure.
hypothermia
Lowered body temperature, outside of normal limits.
sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
Cessation of heart function due to sudden cardiac rhythm disturbance. (Most often due to CAD.)
ventricular fibrillation
Random electrical activity (unorganized rhythm) in ventricles.
Myocardium quivers ineffectively, producing no CO.
Shockable.
ventricular tachycardia
Single ectopic pacemaker in ventricles overrides SA node.
Sometimes a pulse, sometimes not.
Shockable.
defibrillation
Passing electrical current through the heart to restore normal rhythm.
diabetic ketoacidosis
A state of metabolic acidosis.
In some patients ketones are detectable on the breath.
CO2 + H2O <=> H2CO3 <=> H+ + HCO3
CO2 + H2O <=> H2CO3 <=> H+ + HCO3
shock
Inadequate oxygen supply to meet needs of cellular demands.
compensated shock
Earliest stage of shock in which processes are still able to compensate. BP doesn’t drop.
decompensated shock
Stage of shock in which body is no longer able to compensate. Blood pressure begins to drop.
irreversible shock
Decompensation resulting in extensive cell death and tissue damage, meaning the patient will die regardless of treatment. Even if circulation is restored, organ failure or clotting disorder will eventually kill patient.
ischemia
Lack of blood flow to tissue, causing hypoxia.
electron transport chain
The series of enzymes that receive the end products of glycolysis and extract energy from them in the form of H ions.
Electrons have to be transferred from one enzyme to another using Oxygen to pull them.
lung compliance
The amount of resistance to air movement.
