Introduction to Pathophysiology

pathophysiology

the study of disease processes and the body’s response to disease; functional changes caused by disease

etiology

cause of disease

risk factor

any attribute or exposure that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury

pathogenesis

the process by which a disease begins, develops, and progresses

clinical manifestations

observable signs and symptoms of a disease

signs

objective or measurable, like a fever, rash, cough, edema, etc

symptoms

subjective experiences reported by patients, such as pain, fatigue, or nausea

complications

unexpected negative outcomes related to disease progression, treatment, or procedures

iatrogenic complications

complications caused by medical care or healthcare exposure

diagnosis

identification and naming of a disease through analyzing the signs, symptoms, physical assessment, laboratory tests, and diagnostic studies

primordial prevention

prevents the development of risk factors through healthy policies, environment, etc; prevent the disease by avoiding risk factors

primary prevention

prevents the disease before it occurs by reducing risk factors (i.e. vaccines, working out, etc)

secondary prevention

detects diseases early through screening and prompt interventions

tertiary prevention

reduces complications, slows disease progression, improves function, and improves quality of life after diagnosis

individual health

the patient’s perception of well-being; more than just the absence of disease and includes physical, mental, and social aspects

community health

evaluate factors that influence the health of populations

epidemiology

the study of disease patterns in populations

prevalence

proportion of individuals with a disease at a given time

incidence

number of new cases occurring in a specific time period