Health Science Theory & Practice - Pathophysiology

Candidiasis

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Overgrowth of the fungal microorganism Candida albicans

Symptoms: Vaginal itching, burning with urination, white vaginal discharge (Often called a “yeast infection”)

Diagnosis: Testing of vaginal discharge

Treatment: Over-the-counter or prescription medications

Ectopic Pregnancy

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Zygote implantation in an area other than the uterine wall, most commonly in the uterine tubes.

Symptoms: Abdominal or pelvic pain with light bleeding. Severe pain and bleeding are symptoms of an emergent condition.

Diagnosis: Physical examination, blood tests, and ultrasound.

Treatment: Termination of the pregnancy, as it is not viable and can rupture the uterine tube if allowed to develop far enough, which would require surgery.

Endometriosis

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Occurs when pieces of endometrial tissue grow outside of the uterine lining, typically on the ovaries, intestines, or pelvic wall.

Symptoms: Pelvic pain with menstruation, pain with intercourse, pain with bowel movements and urination, infertility.

Diagnosis: Pelvic examination, ultrasound, and laparoscopy.

Treatment: Pain medication, hormone therapy, or laparoscopic surgery.

Genital Herpes

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Caused by the herpes simplex virus spread through sexual contact.

Symptoms: Pain, itching, and sores in the genital area. Flu-like symptoms upon initial infection.

Diagnosis: Visual examination of sores, testing of sample from the sores.

Treatment: Incurable. Medications, typically antivirals, can prevent or shorten outbreaks.

Inguinal Hernia

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: A portion of the intestines protrudes through a weak point of the abdominal wall.

Symptoms: Bulging in the groin area accompanied by an aching sensation, pain with lifting, coughing, or movement, weakness, or pressure in the groin.

Diagnosis: Physical examination

Treatment: If no symptoms, treatment is not indicated. Surgery to repair the hernia if symptoms present.

Testicular Torsion

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Some causes are unknown. Some patients are born with no tissue holding the testes to the scrotum.

Symptoms: When tissues surrounding the testicle are not well attached, causing the testes to twist around the spermatic cord cutting off blood flow to the testicle causing severe pain.

Diagnosis: Found when conducting a physical examination.

Treatment: The spermatic cord needs to be untwisted to restore blood supply. Patients need to see a urologist, and surgery is necessary to correct.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Causes are unknown but are believed to be linked to hormonal changes.

Symptoms: Enlargement of the prostate. Common later in life. Can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms, urinary tract infections, or kidney problems.

Diagnosis: Digital rectal examination, urine test, or prostate specific antigen test.

Treatment: Transurethral resection of the prostate.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Chronic condition caused by lack of insulin production. Genetic, autoimmune condition that often develops in childhood and is commonly known as juvenile diabetes.

Symptoms: Excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, poorly healing wounds, numbness in hands and feet.

Diagnosis: blood test to evaluate glucose metabolism.

Treatment: Monitoring blood sugar levels, insulin therapy, eating a healthy diet, and managing weight.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Chronic condition caused by insulin resistance, due to a mix of genetics, obesity, and lifestyle choices. Typically begins in adulthood but is being seen more often in adolescents.

Symptoms: Excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, poorly healing wounds, numbness in hands and feet.

Diagnosis: blood test to evaluate glucose metabolism.

Treatment: Monitoring blood sugar levels, insulin therapy, eating a healthy diet, and managing weight. Medications to lower blood sugar, such as metformin. Insulin will be prescribed if the disease is uncontrolled or progresses.

Cushing Syndrome

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Most often caused by overuse of oral corticosteroid medications. Can also be caused by hypersecretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex.

Symptoms: Excessive fat deposits in the subscapular area and face.

Diagnosis: Indications of high blood pressure, loss of muscle mass, glucose intolerance, and weight gain.

Treatment: Medications used to lower levels of glucocorticoids.

Hypothyroidism

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Underproduction of the thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland.

Symptoms: Increasing tiredness, dry skin, constipation, and weight gain.

-large thyroid gland

Diagnosis: Blood test measuring thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroxine.

Treatment: Use of synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine.

Hyperthyroidism

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Overproduction of the thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland.

Symptoms: Sudden weight loss, rapid heartbeat, increased appetite, anxiety, tremor, sweating, frequent bowel movements, enlarged thyroid gland.

Diagnosis: Physical examination, blood tests, radioactive iodine uptake test, and thyroid scans.

Treatment: Antithyroid medications, oral radioactive iodine.

Grave’s Disease

• Etiology (Cause)

• Signs and Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

Cause: Caused by malfunction in the body’s immune system that disrupts normal thyroid regulation, resulting in hyperthyroidism.

Symptoms: Significant enlargement of the thyroid gland, increased heartbeat, muscle weakness, disturbed sleep, tremor, weight loss, anxiety, irritability, and bulging of the eyes.

Diagnosis: Typically diagnosed by symptoms. Thyroid hormone tests may also be used.

Treatment: Radioactive iodine therapy, antithyroid medications, beta blockers, and surgery.

Anemia

Cause: blood loss.

• Dysfunction in the creation of hemoglobin

• Excessive destruction of red blood cells

S&S: Fatigue, dizziness, cold extremities, headache, irregular heartbeat

Diagnosis: Blood test

Treatment: Depends on cause

• Blood loss can be treated with a blood transfusion.

• Other causes may be treated through an increase of iron or vitamin K

Atherosclerosis

Cause: Hardening of the arteries due to fatty deposits causing narrowing of vessels potentially due to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and other diseases.

S&S: Chest pain, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), peripheral artery disease, and kidney disfunction.

Diagnosis: Physical examination, medical history, blood tests, doppler ultrasound, EKG, stress test, angiogram, CT or MRI.

Treatment: Healthy diet, increased exercise, medications (cholesterol medication, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, blood thinners, diuretics, calcium channel blockers), angioplasty, stents, endarterectomy, or bypass surgery.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Cause: The heart’s decreased ability to pump adequately due to coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, or heart defects.

S&S: Fatigue, peripheral edema, shortness of breath.

Diagnosis: Medical history, physical examination, blood tests, EKG, echocardiogram, and chest x-ray.

Treatment: Varies depending on the type and severity

Can include weight loss, controlling blood pressure, ACE inhibitors, and beta blockers.

Hemophilia

Cause: An absence of clotting factors in the blood as the result of a genetic defect.

S&S: Excessive bleeding, frequent bruising.

Diagnosis: Family history, physical examination, and blood tests.

Treatment: Replacement therapy to slowly infuse clotting factors into a vein.

Hypertension

Cause: Genetics, smoking, obesity, stress, too much salt intake.

S&S: Higher than normal blood pressure, headaches, irregular heart rhythms, vision changes, or chest pain.

Diagnosis: Consistently high blood pressure over two or three office visits over the course of one to four weeks.

Treatment: Medications, weight management, healthy diet, and stress reduction.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)(heart attack)

Cause: Cardiac muscle becomes ischemic and dies, typically due to occlusion of the cardiac muscle because of atherosclerosis of the coronary artery.

S&S: Acute chest pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and profuse sweating.

Diagnosis: EKG and blood tests

Treatment: Fibrinolytic agents, diagnostic angiogram, stenting, and bypass surgery if severe enough.