Chapter 1 - Introduction to Pathology

Signs

Measurable or objective manifestations

Symptoms

Feelings that the patient describes —subjective manifestations

Asymptomatic

Without subjective or objective manifestations

Diagnosis

Identification of disease process

Etiology

Study of the cause of the disease process

Idiopathic

Underlying cause is unknown

Prognosis

Probable patient outcome

Syndrome

Linked combination of signs and symptoms

Iatrogenic

Disease caused by a physician or treatment

Nosocomial infections

Infections contracted in the acute care facility

Community-acquired infections

Infections contracted in a public setting outside of the acute care facility

Inflammation

Initial response of the tissue to local injury

Permeable membrane

Allows fluids/cells to pass from one tissue to another tissue or location

Granulation tissue

Fibrous scar replaces destroyed tissue

Pyogenic bacteria

Thick, yellow fluid called pus (dead white blood cells)

Abscess

Localized, usually encapsulated, collection of fluid

Bacteremia

Potential involvement of other organs and tissues in the body by organisms invading the blood vessels

Edema

Accumulation of abnormal amounts of fluid in the intracellular tissue spaces or body cavities

Anasarca

Generalized edema that occurs with pronounced swelling of subcutaneous tissues throughout the body

What is pathology?

Study of the structural and functional changes in cells, tissues, and organs of the body that cause or are caused by disease

What is physiology?

Functions of the human body

Elephantiasis

Localized lymphatic obstruction resulting in localized edema

Ischemia

Interference of blood supply to an organ; deprives cells and tissues of oxygen and nutrients

Infarct

Localized area of ischemic necrosis; produced by occlusion of either arterial supply or venous drainage

Hemorrhage

Implies rupture of a blood vessel

Hematoma

Accumulation of blood trapped within body tissues

Atrophy

Reduction in the size or number of cells in an organ or tissue, with a corresponding decrease in function

Hypertrophy

Increase in the size of the cells of a tissue or organ in response to a demand for increased function

Hyperplasia

Increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ

Dysplasia

Loss of uniformity of individual cells and their architectural orientation

Neoplasia

Ungoverned abnormal proliferation of cells

Oncology

Study of neoplasms( tumors)

Benign

Growth that closely resembles the cells of origin in structure and function

Malignant

Neoplastic growth that invades and destroys adjacent structures

Metastasize

Malignant neoplasms that travel to distant sites

Carcinoma

Malignant neoplasm of epithelial cell origin

Anaplastic

undifferentiated cell growth— without form (bizarre)

Sarcoma

Highly malignant tumor originating from connective tissue

Lymphatic spread

Major route by which carcinoma metastasizes

Hematogenous spread

Malignant tumors that have invaded the circulatory system and travel as neoplastic emboli

Grading

Assessment of aggressiveness or degree of malignancy

Staging

1. Extensiveness of tumor at the primary site

2. Presence or absence of metastases to lymph nodes and distant organs

Epidemiology

Study of determinants of disease events in given populations

Morbidity

Rate that an illness or abnormality occurs

Mortality

Reflects the number of deaths by disease per population

Hereditary process

Genetic information contained in the nucleus of each cell passed to the next generation

Autosomes

44 chromosomes other than X and Y

Dominant Gene

Always produces an effect

Recessive Gene

Manifests when a person is homozygous for the trait

Mutation

Alteration in the DNA structures that may become permanent hereditary change

Antigens

Foreign substance that evokes an immune response

Antibodies

Immunoglobulins responding to the antigens to make them harmless

Immune

Protected against antigens; antibodies binding with antigens to make them harmless

Active immunity

Forming antibodies to counteract an antigen by way of vaccine or toxoid

Vaccine

Contact with dead or deactivated microorganisms to form antibodies

Toxoid

Treated toxin with antigenic power to produce immunity by creating antibodies

Anaphylactic reaction

Hypersensitive reaction resulting in histamine release

Standard precautions

Protection used when delivering healthcare services to any person

Personal protective equipment

PPE—gowns, gloves, masks, shoe covers, and eye protection used to prevent transmission of potential infectious agents

Transmission-Based precautions

Additional protective equipment to prevent the spread of highly infectious pathogens through contact, droplet, or airborne transmission

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Impairment of cellular immunity

What is pathophysiology?

The physiology of altered health

5 Causes of a disease

Biologic agents (bacteria, viruses)

physical forces (trauma, burns, radiation)

chemical agents (poisons, alcohol)

genetic inheritance, and

nutritional excesses or deficits

Three diseases that are multifactorial

Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes