Pathophysiology and General Adaptation Syndrome Flashcards

Flashcards reviewing pathophysiology, cell adaptation, cellular injury, stress responses, hypersensitivities, and oncology concepts from the lecture notes.

Hypoxia

Lack of oxygen to tissue, resulting in no ATP production, cell failure, and potential cell death.

Intracellular Edema

Fluid accumulation inside the cell caused when a lack of ATP prevents the sodium-potassium pump from working, trapping sodium inside.

Ischemia

Lack of blood circulation that prevents necessary blood components and oxygen from reaching tissue, causing hypoxia.

Pathology

The study of disease and disorders that will not return to normal, such as pathological hyperplasia in prostate enlargement.

Physiology

The study of expected normal bodily life processes, such as physiological hyperplasia during uterine lining thickening.

Metaplasia

A form of cellular adaptation associated with conditions such as GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and changes in the lungs of smokers.

Dysplasia

A cellular adaptation where metaplasia does not reverse itself and progresses toward neoplasia; found during early screening.

Neoplasia

Cancer, characterized by dysplastic cells showing characteristics of malignancy.

Cellulitis

Infection of soft tissue in the interstitial space.

Dry Gangrene

Necrotic tissue death caused by an arterial block starving tissue of nutrients and ATP, which does not require an infection to develop.

Apoptosis

Programmed, organized, and natural cell death that occurs without causing inflammation.

Necrosis

Unplanned, messy, and accidental cell death resulting from injury, ischemia, or hypoxia, accompanied by inflammation and cellular debris.

Alarm Phase

The initial adaptive stage of General Adaptation Syndrome involving a sympathetic fight-or-flight response, increased heart rate, pupil dilation, and hormone release.

Cortisol

An adaptive hormone released by the adrenal cortex that increases blood glucose levels to provide energy for ATP production.

HPA Axis

A hormonal response system where the hypothalamus releases CRF to signal the pituitary gland to release ACTH, which stimulates the adrenal cortex to release cortisol.

Resistance Phase

The stage of General Adaptation Syndrome where the body handles stress effectively without developing disease.

Exhaustive Phase

The final stage of General Adaptation Syndrome that occurs when stress is prolonged, leading to sustained high hormone levels, nutrient depletion, and chronic disease.

Adrenal Medulla

The inner part of the adrenal gland that secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine during a sympathetic response.

Adrenal Cortex

The outer part of the adrenal gland that secretes cortisol and aldosterone.

Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone produced in the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior pituitary that promotes vasoconstriction and kidney water retention to support blood pressure.

Aldosterone

A hormone released by the adrenal cortex in response to kidney renin that causes the kidneys to save sodium and water to regulate blood pressure.

Type 3 Hypersensitivity

An antibody-mediated autoimmune response where un-cleared antigen-antibody complexes deposit in tissues, causing chronic inflammation.

Type 4 Hypersensitivity

A cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction that does not involve antibodies.

Adaptive Immunity

Specific immune protection that involves antibodies.

Innate Immunity

Nonspecific immune protection.

CD4 Cells

Surveillance immune cells that serve as first responders to alert the immune system to dysplastic cells; a count below 200 indicates AIDS.

Benign Tumor

An abnormal growth of well-differentiated cells with clear boundaries that does not metastasize.

Malignant Tumor

Undifferentiated cancer cells with no clear boundaries that can metastasize and look increasingly less like the primary tissue as they divide.

Cancer Grading

An evaluation conducted by a pathologist to measure the level of cell undifferentiatedness relative to the primary tissue.

Cancer Staging

An assessment of the extent of tumor spread throughout the body, usually determined by a surgeon.