Ch 1: Characteristics of Disease

Diagnosis

Identification of a specific disease through evaluation of signs and symptoms, and laboratory tests, or other tools.

Etiology

Study of the causes, origins, or reasons behind a disease or abnormal condition.

Idiopathic

When the cause of a disease is unknown.

Iatrogenic

When a treatment, a procedure, or an error may cause a disease.

Predisposing factors

Tendencies or risks that promote development of a disease.

Prophylaxis

A measure designed to preserve health (as of an individual or society) and prevent the spread of disease.

Prevention

Include vaccinations, dietary or lifestyle modifications, removal of harmful materials in the environment, and cessation of potentially harmful activities such as smoking.

Pathogenesis

Refers to the development of the disease or the sequence of events involved in the tissue changes relates to the specific disease process.

The onset of a disease

May be sudden and obvious or acute (e.g., gastroenteritis with vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea) or it may be insidious. Best described as a gradual progression with only vague or very mild signs.

An acute disease

Indicates a short-term illness that develops quickly with marked signs such as high fever or severe pain.

A chronic disease

Is often a milder condition that develops gradually but persists for a long time and usually causes more permanent tissue damage, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

A subclinical state

Exists in some conditions in which pathologic changes occur but the patient exhibits no obvious manifestations, perhaps because of the great reserve capacity of some organs.

An initial latent or “silent” stage

No clinical signs are evident, characterizes some diseases.

Prodromal period

Comprises the time in the early development of a disease when one is aware of a change in the body but the signs are nonspecific (e.g., fatigue, loss of appetite, or headache).

Manifestations of a disease

Are the clinical evidence or effects, the signs and symptoms, of disease.

Signs

Are objective indicators of disease that obvious to someone other than the affected individual. Can be local, found at the site of the problem (such as a skin rash), or systemic, which are general indicators (such as a fever).

Symptoms

Are subjective feelings, such as pain or nausea. Both signs and symptoms are significant in diagnosing a particular problem.

Lesion

A specific local change in the tissue.

Syndrome

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

Diagnostic tests

Are laboratory tests that assist in the diagnosis of a specific disease.

Remission

A period or condition in which the manifestations of the disease subside, either permanently or temporarily.

Precipitating factor

A condition that triggers an acute episode, such as a seizure in an individual with a seizure disorder.

Complications

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

Therapy or therapeutic interventions

Are treatment measures used to promote recovery or slow the progress of a disease.

Sequelae

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

Convalescence or Rehabilitation

Is the period of recovery and return to normal healthy state; it may last for several days or months.

Prognosis

Probability or likelihood for recovery or other outcomes.

Morbidity

Indicates the disease rates within a group.

Mortality

Indicate the relative number of deaths resulting from a particular disease.

Autopsy or Postmortem examination

May be performed after death to determine the exact cause of death or the course of the illness and effectiveness of treatment.

Epidemiology

The science of tracking the pattern or occurrence of disease.

Occurrence of a disease

Is tracked by recording two factors: the incidence and the prevalence.

Epidemics

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

Pandemics

Involve higher number of cases in many regions of the globe.

Communicable diseases

Are infections that can be spread from one person to another.

Notifiable or Reportable diseases

Must be reported by the physician to certain designated authorities.