Lecture Notes on Human Diseases and Disorders

Flashcards covering vocabulary, disease classifications, and medical terminology from the lecture notes on human pathology, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

Phagocytosis

A process in which leukocytes rush to a site of infection to engulf and destroy invading organisms.

Disease

A pathological condition of the body that occurs in response to an alteration in normal body harmony, which is usually tangible or measurable.

Illness

The condition of a person experiencing a disease, encompassing the highly individual and personal ways in which they perceive their suffering.

Pharmacology

The science of how medications act on the body and how the body responds, encompassing sources, chemical properties, and therapeutic uses.

Predisposing factor

A condition or situation that may make a person more at risk or susceptible to disease, such as heredity, age, gender, environment, and lifestyle.

Homozygous

A state where gene pairs possess identical genes from each parent for a particular trait, being either both dominant or both recessive.

Heterozygous

A state where gene pairs possess different genes from each parent for a particular trait.

Genotype

A description of a person's genetic combination with respect to a single trait or a larger set of traits, including all genes inherited from parents.

Phenotype

The observable physical characteristics of a person, such as hair color and height, determined by genetic makeup and environmental factors.

Mutation

A disruption in the normal sequence of $DNA$ units that causes changes in the structure of genes and potential disturbances in body functions.

Homeostasis

A state of stability that the body tries to maintain while exposed to continually changing outside forces.

Mycoses

The medical term for fungal diseases, which usually develop slowly and are resistant to treatment.

Hypovolemic shock

A condition of severe physiological distress caused by a decrease in circulating blood volume so great that metabolic needs cannot be met.

Syncope

A transient loss of consciousness often caused by overexposure to heat and insufficient water or salt intake.

Neoplasia

A term meaning "new formation" or "new growth," referring to the abnormal formation of tissue that may form a tumor.

Metastasis

The process by which malignant cells spread to other cells, tissues, and parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Antigen

Any substance that, when introduced into the body, causes the immune system to produce a specific antibody.

Anaphylaxis

A sudden, unusually severe, and possibly life-threatening allergic reaction.

Autoimmunity

An immunologic malfunction where the immune response is misdirected and attacks the body's own tissues and organs.

Iatrogenic

A term describing a disease or condition caused by medical treatment and its effects.

Nosocomial

An infection that is hospital-acquired or health-care-associated, appearing $48$ hours or more after admission.

Sequela

A pathological condition that results from a prior disease, injury, or attack.

Bacteremia

A medical term literally meaning "bacteria in the blood."

Sepsis

A condition where microorganisms released into the bloodstream trigger inflammation throughout the body, potentially damaging multiple organ systems.

Erythema chronicum migrans (ECM)

A distinct "bull\'s eye" rash with a dark-red rim and faded center characteristic of stage $1$ Lyme disease.

Ischemia

A condition in which narrowing of the coronary arteries deprives cells of the myocardium of blood and oxygen, causing them to weaken and die.

Angina pectoris

Chest pain or pressure resulting from ischemia to a part of the myocardium, often triggered by stress, meals, or exertion.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle representing the contraction of the heart.

Diastole

The phase of the cardiac cycle representing the relaxation of the heart.

Thoracentesis

A medical procedure involving the surgical puncture or tapping of the chest wall to remove accumulated fluid.

Atelectasis

A collapsed lung or an airless condition of all or part of a lung that leads to hypoxia.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched sound heard during respiration due to an obstruction of the air passages.

Cyanosis

A bluish discoloration of the skin caused by insufficient oxygenation of the blood.

Hemoptysis

The act of coughing up blood or blood-stained mucus from the respiratory tract.

Hematemesis

The medical term for the vomiting of blood.

Prions

Infectious particles containing only one protein, linked to degenerative disorders of the central nervous system like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Orthopnea

A condition where a person has difficulty breathing unless they are in an upright sitting or standing position.