2026 Disease Mechanisms: Cell Injury, Cell Death, Cell Adaptation and Inflammation

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to disease mechanisms, emphasizing processes such as cell injury, inflammation, and various forms of cell death.

Pathology

The study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them.

Epidemiology

The incidence, prevalence, and population distribution of a disease.

Aetiology

The cause of disease.

Pathogenesis

The mechanisms that aetiological factors cause the disease.

Diagnosis

The identification of the nature and cause of a disease.

Prognosis

The prospect of recovery and outcomes as anticipated from the usual course of disease.

Inflammation

A general physiological response of living tissues to injury.

Acute Inflammation

The initial reaction of the body to harmful stimuli; characterized by heat, redness, swelling, pain, and loss of function.

Chronic Inflammation

A prolonged inflammatory response that involves a progressive change in the type of cells at the site of inflammation.

Apoptosis

A type of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms.

Necrosis

The uncontrolled death of cells, which can result from injury or disease.

Metaplasia

A reversible change in which one differentiated cell type is replaced by another cell type.

Hypertrophy

An increase in the size of an individual cell due to increased workload or hormonal stimulation.

Hyperplasia

An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ.

Atrophy

A reduction in the size of an organ or tissue, typically due to disuse, diminished blood supply, or malnutrition.

Thrombosis

The formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood.

Ischaemia

Reduced blood supply to a tissue, resulting in decreased oxygen and nutrient availability.

Neoplasm

An abnormal growth of tissue which can be benign or malignant.

Sequelae

Secondary consequences or conditions that result from a primary disease.