Medical Terminology - Chapter 4 - Disease/Illness Classifications

acute illness

A sudden illness from which a person is expected to recover

chronic illness

an illness that begins gradually and is ongoing or constantly recurring

terminal illness

A disease or condition that will eventually cause death

anomaly

Deviation from what is normal

congenital anomaly

existing at birth

sign

can be measured or detected using the senses (ex. rash, fever)

symptom

is only experienced by the patient and cannot be measured or detected by an observer (ex. headache, pain)

subjective evidence

evidence that can be verified only by the individual having the experience

objective evidence

unbiased evidence that is supported by verifiable findings

antigen

A protein that, when introduced in the blood, triggers the production of an antibody

antibody

A substance produced by the body that destroys or inactivates an antigen that has entered the body

immune response

The body's defensive reaction to invasion by foreign substances.

autoimmune

A disease in which the immune system attacks the organism's own cells

syndrome

Group of symptoms that, when occurring together, reflect a specific disease or disorder

symbiosis

A relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other