Pathophysiology - Definitions

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Signs:
Local
Systemic

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Signs: objective indicators of disease that are obvious to someone other than the affected individual such as a fever or skin rash
Local: found at the site of the problem
Systemic: general indicators of illness such as fever

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Symptoms:
Local
Systemic

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Symptoms: subjective feelings, such as pain or nausea
Local: felt at the site of the problem
Systemic: general indicators of illness such as a fever

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Manifestations

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the clinical evidence or effects, the signs and symptoms of disease; These manifestations such as redness and swelling may be local, or found at the site of the problem. Or signs and symptoms may be systemic, meaning they are general indicators of illness such as fever,

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Etiology
Idiopathic
Iatrogenic
Nosocomial

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Etiology - concerns the causative factors in a particular disease.
Idiopathic: when the cause of the disease is unknown.
Iatrogenic: when a treatment, procedure or an error caused the disease
Nosocomial: an infection acquired while hospitalized.

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Diagnosis

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the identification of a specific disease through evaluation of signs and symptoms, laboratory tests or other tools

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Predisposing factors (risk factors)

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the tendencies that promote development of a disease in an individual; indicates a high risk for the disease but not certain development.

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Complications

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new secondary or additional problems that arise after the original disease begins

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Sequelae

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the potential unwanted outcomes of the primary condition, such as paralysis following recovery from a stroke

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Prognosis

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the 'probability' or likelihood for recovery or other outcomes

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Incidence

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indicates the number of new cases in a given population noted within a stated time period

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Prevelance

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the number of new and old or existing cases within a specific population and time period

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Pathogenesis

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the development of the disease or the sequence of events involved in the tissue changes related to the specific disease process

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Communicable diseases

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infections that can be spread from one person to another. Some of these must be reported to health authorities.

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Reportable diseases (Notifiable)

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must be reported by the physician to certain designated authorities; its intent is to prevent further spread of the disease and maintain public health

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Morbidity

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indicates the disease rates within a group; this term is sometimes used to indicate the functional impairment that certain conditions such as stroke caused within a population

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Mortality

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figures indicate the relative number of deaths resulting from a particular disease

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Risk Factors

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example: high risk factors may include age, gender, inherited factors, occupational exposure or certain dietary practices; may predispose a person to a disease but doesn't certain development.

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Acute onset

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the onset of a disease may be sudden and obvious

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Acute disease

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a short term illness that develops very quickly with marked signs such as high fever or severe pain; IE: appendicitis

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Insidious onset

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a disease whose onset is marked only by vague or mild general signs

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Chronic disease

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a condition with insidious or slow onset, mild but continuous manifestations and long lasting often progressive effects

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Subclinical state

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exists in some conditions in which pathologic changes occur, but no obvious manifestations are exhibited by the patient, perhaps because of the great reserve capacity of some organs.

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Remissions

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the manifestations of the disease subside

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Exacerbations

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an acute episode or increased severity of manifestations

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Prodromal period

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the initial period in the development of disease before acute symptoms occur

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Latent period

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aka "silent" stage, in which no clinical signs are evident, characterizes some diseases. In infectious diseases this stage may be referred to as the incubation period, which is the time between exposure to the microorganism and the onset of signs or symptoms; may last for a day or so or may be prolonged perhaps for days or weeks. The disease is often communicable during this incubation period.

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Lesion

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the term used to describe a specific local change in the tissue; may be microscopic or highly visible

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Syndrome

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a collection of signs and symptoms often affecting more than one organ, that usually occur together in response to a certain condition.

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Epidemiology

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the science of tracking the pattern or occurrence of disease

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Pandemic

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invole higher numbers of cases in many regions of the globe

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Epidemic

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occurs when there are a higher than expected number of cases of an infectious disease within a given area

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Atrophy

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a decrease in the size of cells resulting in a reduced tissue mass

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Hypertrophy

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an increase in the size of individual cells, resulting in an enlarged tissue mass

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Hyperplasia

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an increased number of cells resulting in an enlarged tissue mass

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Metaplasia

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one mature cell type is replaced by a different mature cell type

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Dysplasia

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term applied to tissue in which the cells vary in size and shape, large nuclei are frequently present and the rate of mitosis is increased

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Anaplasia

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cells that are undifferentiated with variable nuclear and cell structures and numerous mitotic figures

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Neoplasm

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means new growth and is commonly called a tumor

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Apoptosis

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refers to programmed cell death, a normal occurrence in the body which may increase when cell development is abnormal, cells numbers are excessive or cells are injured or aged

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Ischemia

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decreased supply of oxygenated blood to tissue or organ due to circulatory obstruction

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Hypoxia

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reduced oxygen in the tissue

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Exogenous

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in the environment

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Endogenous

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inside the body

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Necrosis

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when a group of cells die

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Liquefaction necrosis

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the process by which dead cells liquefy under the influence of certain cell or in certain bacterial infections in which a cavity or ulcer may develop in the infected area

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Coagulative necrosis

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when the cell proteins are altered or denatured (similar to the coagulation that occurs to cooked eggs) and the cells retain some form for a time after death. Typically occurs in a myocardial infarction (heart attack) when a lack of oxygen causes cell death