Pathophysiology Chapter 1 Notes

What is pathophysiology?

\-Physiologic changes in the body resulting from disease

\-Uses knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology

\-Includes aspects of pathology, which describes structural and functional changes in body tissues due to disease.

What is the World Health Organization Definition of Health?

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.

What are Healthy People 2020’s Determinants of Health?

\-Attain high quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death.

\-Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities improve health in all groups

\-Promote good health and healthy behaviors

What is physiology?

Physiology is the study of body function

What is disease?

\-Disease is an acute or chronic illness one acquired or born with, causing physiologic dysfunction.

\-Disease has been defined as an interruption, cessation, or disorder of a body system or organ structure.

What are the aspects of the disease process?

\-The etiology

\-Pathogenesis

\-Morphologic change

\-Clinical manifestations

\-Diagnosis

\-Clinical course

\-Prognosis

What is etiology?

Etiology are the causative factors in a particular disease.

What are predisposing factors?

Predisposing factors are tendencies that promote development of a disease

Provide examples of predisposing factors

\-**Biologic agents** (ex. bacteria viruses)

\-**Physical forces** (ex. trauma, burns, radiation)

\-**Chemical agents** (ex. poisons, alcohol)

\-**Nutritional excesses or deficits**

What is a diagnosis?

A diagnosis is a designation as to the nature or cause of a health problem. It is the identification of a specific disease.

What is a predictive value?

A predictive value is the extent to which observation or test is able to predict presence of disease.

How are laboratory tests interpreted?

Lab tests are interpreted based on:

\-**Reliability**: the extent to which an observation, when repeated, gives the same result

\-**Validity**: the extent to which a measurement tool measures what it is intended to measure

\-**Sensitivity and Specificity**: determining the likelihood or how well the test or observation identifies people with or without a disease

\-**Predictive Value**: the extent to which an observation or test result is able to predict the presence of a given disease or condition.

What can be seen at gross level?

The gross level is visible with the naked eye

What is microscopic level?

The microscopic level requires a microscope

What tests can be done at the cellular level?

Cytologic and cytogenetic tests

What is a biopsy?

A biopsy includes the excision of small amounts of living tissue

What is an autopsy?

An autopsy is an examination of body and organs after death

What is pathogenesis?

Pathogenesis is the development of a disease. It includes morphologic and physiologic changes in cells, tissues, organs.

What is a clinical course?

A clinical course is the evolution of the disease

Disease clinical course may be…

\-Acute: severe, self-limiting

\-Chronic: continuous

\-Subacute: between acute and chronic

What are exacerbations?

Exacerbations are aggravations

What is remission?

Remission is decreased severity, symptoms, and signs subside or absent

Acute disease characteristics

Acute diseases develop and resolve quickly (short term)

Chronic disease characteristics

Chronic diseases develop gradually and persist for a long time

What occurs in a subclinical state?

Pathologic changes occur, but no obvious manifestations. No symptoms or signs of disease may be present.

What occurs in a latent state?

No symptoms or clinical signs are evident.

What is the Clinical course of infection?

\-Incubation period

\-Prodromal period

\-Acute stage

\-Convalescence

What is the incubation period?

A latent stage from the time of exposure to onset of illness

What is the prodromal period?

Early development of an infectious disease. Signs are non-specific or absent.

What is the acute stage?

This stage is characterized by active replication or multiplication of the pathogen and its numbers peak exponentially.

What is convalescence?

Period of recovery

What is a syndrome?

A syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms

List out the steps of pathogenesis.

1. Pathogen enters host
2. Pathogen colonizes appropriate site
3. Pathogen reproduces rapidly
4. Prodromal signs may appear
5. Acute signs present
6. Decreased reproduction and death of pathogens


1. Host defenses take effect
2. Nutrient supply decreases
3. Wastes and cell debris increase
4. Antibacterial drug
7. Recovery - signs subside
8. Total recovery

What are clinical manifestations?

Display of characteristic signs and symptoms

What are signs?

Manifestation noted by observe

What are symptoms?

Subjective complaints noted by person with disorder

Sequelae

Lesions, impairments that follow or caused by disease

Complications

Adverse extensions of the disease or outcomes of treatment

Precipitating factor

Condition that triggers an acute episode or complication

Morphologic changes

Structural changes of tissues and cells that cause or caused by disease

Therapy

Measures to promote recovery or slow disease progression

Rehabilitation

Maximizing function of diseased tissue

Prognosis

Probability for recovery or for other outcomes

Epidemiology

Epidemiology identifies causative factors and track disease occurrence

What do epidemiologic methods determine?

\-How disease is spread

\-How to control disease

\-How to prevent disease

\-How to eliminate disease

Disease case

A disease case can be either an existing case or the number of new episodes of a particular illness

Morbidity

Number of people with a disease within a group

\-Concerned with the incidence, persistence, and long term consequences of disease

Mortality

Number of deaths resulting from a particular disease within a group

Epidemic

Increased number of cases of an infectious disease occur in a **given area**

Pandemic

Increased number of cases across **continents**

Incidence

Number of new cases in a population within a specified time period

Prevalence

Number of new and existing cases in a specific population within a specified time period (expressed as percentage)

Natural History of a Disease

\-Used as a predictor of **outcome** for diseases for which there is no effective treatment

\-Information about the natural history of a disease and the potential of effective treatment methods provide directions for **preventive measures**

Primary prevention

Removing risk factors, so disease does not occur. (ex. immunizations)

Secondary prevention

Detecting disease when still curable. (ex. pap smears)

Tertiary prevention

Preventing further deterioration or reducing complications of disease. (ex. antibiotic use)