S1 Introduction to Disease

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health

condition in which the human body performs its vital functions normally

homeostasis

stable internal conditions under fluctuating environmental conditions

disease

deviation from normal structure or function in the body that interrputs or modifies the performance of vital functions

insulin

chemical messenger that helps maintain the level of glucose in the blood

pathology

study of disease, especially structural and functional changes associated with disease

pathologist

a physician who studies and interprets the changes caused by disease

signs

evidence of disease observed on physical examination

symptoms

indications of disease reported by the patient

asymptomatic diseases

disease that causes no signs and symptoms

syndrome

abnormal structure or function characterized by a group of signs and symptoms that usually occur together

disorder

functional abnormality not necessarily linked to a specific cause or physical abnormality

diagnosis

process of identifying a disease or disorder

inspection

visual examination of the external surface of the body, its movements, and posture for abnormalities or evidence of disease

palpation

feeling the body with fingers or hands to examine the size, consistency, texture, location, and tenderness of an organ or body part

auscultation

listening to the lungs, heart, and intestines to evaluate the frequency, intensity, duration, number, and quality of sounds originating in the body

percussion

producing sounds by tapping on specific areas of the body to evaluate the size, consistency and borders of the body organs

vital signs

measures of various physiological statistics in order to assess the most basic body functions

biopsy

surgical removal and analysis of tissue samples, that yields informations about cellular changes

prognosis

predicted course and outcome

acute disease

sudden onset of disease that has a short, but sometimes severe, duration

terminal diseases

diseases that end in death

chronic diseases

diseases that are slower, less severe onset, and a long duration

remission

a duration of the disease process in which signs and symptoms subside or disappear, but may have the change of recurring

exacerbation

a period when signs and symptoms may grow more severe

relapse

the return of a disease after its apparent cure

complication

related disease or other abnormal state that develops in a person already suffering from a disease

sequela

the aftermath of a particular disease

mortality

number of deaths that occur among people with a certain disease

morbidity

incidence of disease, the number of cases in a population

prevalence

percentage of a population that is affected with a particular disease at a given time

epidemiology

study of the occurrence, transmission, distribution, and control of disease

etiology

cause of disease

pathogenesis

how the cause of a disease leads to anatomical and physiological changes in the body that result in disease

idiopathic

a disease whose cause is unknown

hereditary

type of disease that results from an abnormality in an individual’s genes or chromosomes

congential

type of disease that exists at or date from birth. can be acquired through hereditary or during developed in the uterus

degenerative

type of disease that results when function or structure of the affected tissue or organ deteriorates over time

inflammatory, autoimmune, allergic

type of disease that results from abnormal immune function

neoplastic

type of disease that results from abnormal growth that leads to the formation of tumors

metabolic

type of disease that results in the disruption of normal metabolism

nutritional

type of disease that results in the over or under consumption of nutrients

traumatic

type of disease that results in physical or chemical injury

risk factors

increase a person’s chance of developing a disease

treatment

aims to cure a disease or reduce the severity of its signs and symptoms

symptomatic treatment

treatments that relieve and manage symptoms without addressing cause

palliative treatment

treatment that provides comfort and relieve pain