West Coast University Pathophysiology Week 1: Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch.4, Ch.7

Etiology

The known cause for the disease.

The study of causes/reasons for phenomena.

Identify's causal factors acting in concert that provoke a particular disease or injury.

Pathophysiology

The study of disease process.

Idiopathic

The cause of the disease is unknown

Iatrogenic

Causes results from unintended or unwanted medical treatment.

Example: Mistakes made in surgery, or dispensing the wrong medication.

Risk factor

Is the likelihood of the disease.

Pathogenesis

Development or evolution of disease, from initial stimulus to ultimate expression of manifestation of disease.

Symptoms

Subjective feeling of abnormality in the body.

Signs

Objective or observed manifestation of disease, can be measured.

Syndrome

A set of signs and symptoms not yet determined to delineate a disease.

Modifiable risk factors

Hygiene

Diet

Exercise

Smoking

Drinking

Preexisting condition (if condition can be managed by diet, exercise, etc.)

Non-modifiable risk factors

Family history

Age

Gender

Race/ethnicity

SOAP note

The SOAP note (an acronym for subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) is a method of documentation employed by health care providers to write out notes in a patient's chart, along with other common formats, such as the admission note.

Latent period

Time between exposure of tissue to injurious agent and first appearance of symptoms.

Prodromal period

Time during which first signs and/or symptoms appear or onset of disease occurs.

Latent period

Refers to a period during an illness when signs/symptoms temporarily become mild or silent.

Subclinical stage

Patient functions normally; disease processes are well established.

Acuteclinical state

Short-lived, may have severe manifestation.

Chronic clinical course

May last months to years, sometimes following an acute course.

Exacerbation

Increase in severity of signs or symptoms.

Remission

Decrease in severity, signs, or symptoms; may indicate disease is cured.

Convalescense

Stage of recovery after disease, injury, or surgical procedure.

Sequelae

Subsequent pathologic condition resulting from an acute illness.

Ex: An example of sequelae is poor blood flow to the feet as a result of having diabetes.

Cultural considerations

Each culture defines health and illness in a manner that reflects their experience.

Age and biological factors linked

a normal value for a person at one age may not be normal for a person at another age.

Ex: Wrinkles (loss of collagen) in an elderly woman is normal. Wrinkles in a 10 year old girl is not normal.

Gender differences

Relevant in both health and disease.

Ex: Boys have more muscle biologically, girls have more fat biologically... regardless of gender expression preferences.

Situational differences

Determine whether a derivation from normal should be considered abnormal or an adaptation mechanism.

Ex: It is normal for a pregnant female to have a swollen abdomen and experience frequent urination. It is abnormal for a non-pregnant female to have a swollen abdomen and experience frequent urination.

Time variations

May impact how the body responds from day to night at varying times.

Epidemiology

Study of the patterns of disease involving populations.

Endemic disease

Native to a local region.

Pandemic disease

Spread to large geographic areas.

Epidemic disease

Spread to many people at the same time.

Factors affecting patterns of disease

Age

Ethnic group

Gender

Socioeconomic factors/lifestyle considerations

Geographic location

What are the three levels of prevention?

Primary: altering susceptibility; reducing exposure for susceptible persons.

Secondary: early detection, screening, and management of disease.

Tertiary: rehabilitation, supportive care, reducing disability, and restoring effective functioning following disease.

homeostasis

state in which all symptoms are balance

What are some complications of chemotherapy and radiation therapy?

Hair loss, mucositis (pain/aches), anorexia, may provide portal for infections.

What are some emerging cancer therapy?

Immunotherapy, targeted molecular therapies, stem cell transplant.

What are main forms of cancer therapy?

Surgery, radiation therapy, chemo, drug therapy.

Thrombocytopenia can be managed by what?

Blood replacement therapy.

Thrombocytopenia

Deficiency in circulating platelets.

What is the cause of leukopenia?

Primarily caused by invasion of bone marrow;

also malnutrition, chemotherapy.

Leukopenia

Deficiency in circulating white blood cells.

Immune system deficits in cancer

Suppressed by cancer cell secretions some cancer can elude immune detection.

Cachexia in cancer

Overall weight loss and generalized weakness loss of appetite, increase metabolic rate, nausea/vomiting.

Cachexia

A general state of ill health involving marked weight loss and muscle loss.

Warning signs of cancer in children?

(CHILDREN)

Continued, unexplained weight loss

Headaches with vomiting in the morning

Increased swelling/persistent pain in bones/joints

Lump/mass in abdomen, neck, etc

Development of whiteish appearance in pupil of eye

Recurrent fevers not caused by infection

Excessive bleeding/bruising

Noticeable paleness/prolonged tiredness

Warning signs of cancer in adults?

(CAUTION)

Change in bowel/bladder habits

A sore that does not heal

Unusual bleeding/discharge

Thickening/lump in body

Indigestion/difficulty swallowing

Obvious change in wart/mole

Nagging cough/hoarseness

Grading tumors depends on what?

1. Histologic characterization of tumor cells

2. Degree of anaplasia

3. 3/4 classes of increasing degrees of malignancy

Anaplasia

A condition of cells in which they have poor cellular differentiation, losing the morphological characteristics of mature cells and their orientation with respect to each other and to endothelial cells.

Histology

the study of the microscopic structure of tissues

Staging tumors depend on what?

1. Location and patterns of spread within host

2. Tumor size, extent of local growth, lymph node/organ involvement, distant metastasis

What is the purpose of grading and staging tumors?

To predict clinical behavior of malignant tumor and guide therapeutic management.

Angiogenesis

Cancer forms new blood vessels in order to grow

usually not develop until late stages of development.

What do tumor markers useful for?

To identify parent tissue of cancer origin.

How are cancer cells generally spread?

Via circulatory or lymphatic systems.

What enables metastasis?

Specialized enzymes and receptors.

metastasis

Cancer cells escape tissue of origin and initiate new colonies of cells in distant sites.

Allostatic

Mechanisms for body to maintain homeostasis.

Increase in antioxidants does what?

Prevent diseases.

Promoter carcinogen causes what?

Promotes tumor growth.

Initiator carcinogen causes what?

Causes genetic damage.

What are the two types of carcinogens are found in tobacco?

1. Initiator

2. Promoter

Epidemiology of cancer.

There is no one cause of cance,

usually attributed to lifestyle choices.

Exception of -oma rule

lymphoma, Melanoma

Leukemia

Malignant growth of white blood cells.

-soma suffix

Indicates malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin (bone/ligaments).

-carcinoma suffix

Indicates malignant tumor of epithelial origin

Benign

not cancerous growth

does not have potential to kill host, many are encapsulated

grows slowly, little vascularity, rarely necrotic, retains original function

-oma suffix

Indicates benign tumor.

Malignant

Cancerous growth can kill host if untreated, tissue specific differentiation grows fast, frequently necrotic, dysfunctional.

Neoplasia

"new growth" abnormality of cellular growth/tumor.

Hormonal hyperplasia

Change in hormone level--> increase prostate cells.

Physiological hyperplasia

From constant use/friction.

i.e. calluses

Pathophysiologic hypertrophy

Example increase heart size.

Example of physiologic hypertrophy

Lifting-->muscle gain.

Dysplasia

Disorderly growth.

Metaplasia

Conversion of one cell type to another.

Hyperplasia

Increase cell number due to mitotic division

usually response to increased physiologic demands or hormonal situations.

Atrophy

Cells shrink and reduce their differentiated functions in response to normal and injurious factor.

i.e. disuse

Whats the most common site for intracelllar accumulation?

The liver.

What can intracellular accumulation lead to?

Cellular injury due to toxicity, immune response, taking up cellular space.

Intracellular accumulation

Excess accumulation of substances in cells.

What are the functions of the liver?

Stores vitamins, makes blood coagulation factors, detoxifies, produce bile.

Hypertrophy

Enlargement of cells/tissues accompanied by augmented functional capacity in response to physiologic and pathologic demands.

Hydropic swelling characterized by what?

Large, pale cytoplasm; dilated endoplasmic reticulum; swollen mitochondria.

Megaly

Enlargement of organ, indicates swelling of cell.

Why does hydropic swelling occur?

Lack of ATP leading to pump water out of cell malfunction.

Hydropic swelling is what?

Cellular swellingdue to accumulation of water.

Oxytocin role during stress?

Produced during childbirth and lactation; associated with bonding and social attachment; thought to moderate stress response.

Prolactin role during stress?

Similar to growth hormone; role in immune response.

Stress

Physical, chemical, or emotional factor resulting in tension of body/mind.

Growth hormone role during stress?

Increase during stress to enhance immune function.

What do endorphins do for the body during stress response?

Body's natural pain relievers; raise pain threshold, produce sedation and euphoria.

What do adrenocortical steroids do during stress response?

Critical for homeostasis/synergize/antagonize effects of catecholamines

What two adrenocortical steroids are linked with stress response?

Cortisol and aldosterone.

What does catecholamines due during stress?

Mediates fight/flight response.

What catecholamines are release during stress response?

Epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Allostatic overload is what?

Cost of body's organs and tissues for an excessive or ineffectively regulated allostatic response.

Stage of exhaustion is what?

The point where body can no longer return to homeostasis.

Alarm reaction

Fight/flight response due to stressful stimulus.

Stage of resistance

Activity of nervous and endocrine systems in returning the body to homeostasis.