Apd, Disease Classification Terms – Lesson 4

Front 1

Definition: short and severe

Back 1

Acute

Hint 1

short and relatively severe course. A patient with an acute illness has not been experiencing symptoms for very long. An example of this would be acute appendicitis. This is an inflammation of the appendix, which develops quickly and often necessitates surgery because of the severity of the symptoms and the likelihood of the appendix bursting.
Example: acute respiratory failure

Front 2

Definition: having no symptoms

Back 2

Asymptomatic

Hint 2

individuals do not go to a doctor or hospital when they are not experiencing symptoms, underlying asymptomatic diseases are often discovered during examinations, which are either routine or being performed for a different reason.
Example: asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus

Front 3

Definition: persisting for a long time

Back 3

Chronic

Hint 3

Persisting over a long period of time. This is the opposite of acute. A chronic condition can last for months, years, and even a lifetime. One example is chronic bronchitis, which results in daily and sometimes constant coughing and changes in the lung tissue.
Example: chronic obstructive lung disease

Front 4

Definition: impairs normal function

Back 4

Disabling

Hint 4

Causes impairment of normal functions. This could include impairment of motility (walking), breathing, feeding oneself, sight, hearing, standing up, etc.
Example: blindness

Front 5

Definition: terminal impairment

Back 5

End-stage

Hint 5

A progressively deteriorating condition that has reached a point of terminal functional impairment of the affected organ or system. An example of this is end-stage liver disease, when the liver is so severely affected by incurable cirrhosis that it is in the final phases of ceasing to function.
Example: end-stage renal disease