Module 1 - Definition & Causes of Disease Flashcards
(34 cards)
What are the two ways disease impacts people?
- Morbidity - Illness that impairs the well-being/normal functioning of a patient (living with disease).
- Mortality - Illness causing death of the patient.
Define etiology
The CAUSE of a disease process (biological agents, chemical agents or physical forces).
Define pathogenesis
The DEVELOPMENT of a disease; sequence of cellular events that take place from the time of the initial contact with etiological agent until the expression of disease (mechanisms of how disease process develops)
Define prognosis
Anticipated course of the disease and final outcome (cure, remission, morbidity, mortality).
Define pathology
The study of disease/suffering and illness/structure and functional changes in cells, tissues and organs that caused or are caused by disease.
Define disease
Change in normal body function/structure that leads to abnormal function. All diseases result from some disturbance to cell as a result of physical/environmental insults or genetic aberration.
Define signs/symptoms and distinguish between them
- Sign is and objective measure found upon physical examination (body temp, BP, pulse, weight, etc).
- Symptom is a subjective complaint from the patient that is not measurable (fatigue, nausea, pain, dizziness, etc).
- Difference is that a sign is a numerical value when assessing the pt, and a symptom is something that the pt is experiencing.
Define manifestations
Describes as both gross anatomic changes and microscopic changes that are characteristic of disease.
Define sequelae
The secondary consequences of a disease.
What is the leading cause of morbidity in Canada?
Circulatory system disease.
What is the leading cause of mortality in Canada?
Malignant neoplasm.
Define idiopathic and give an example.
Causes of disease of unknown origin; used when we do not know the cause of disease (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis).
Define iatrogenic and give an example.
Disease caused as a result of medical treatment (administering insulin to a pt that is allergic, causing an allergic reaction).
Distinguish between congenital and genetic diseases and be able to give examples of each.
- Congenital disease are diseases of which you are born with (Cystic Fibrosis).
- Genetic Diseases are heritable (Huntington’s Disease).
Name the causes of disease.
- Injury
- Inflammation
- Infection
- Immunological Reactions
- Neoplasia
- Metabolic/Endocrine
- Nutritional
- Vascular Disease
- Psychological Factors
Discuss injury as a cause of disease.
Due to physical/chemical/biological agent. At the cellular level, injury may be reversible and the tissue survives or adapts (atrophy, hypertrophy, hyperplasia) or irreversible cell injury leading to death/degeneration.
Discuss inflammation as a cause of disease.
Common in many diseases, but some diseases are found to be primarily inflammatory (tonsillitis, acute appendicitis). Chronic inflammatory response may occur in certain allergic-reactions (rheumatoid arthritis) and with certain viral/parasitic infections.
Discuss immunological reactions as a cause of disease.
Immune system is normally productive, but in some circumstances the reaction may become excessive (hypersensitivity to allergens) or may act against the bodies own cells (autoimmune disease) or be absent/depressed (immunosuppressive therapy).
Discuss neoplasia as a cause of disease.
Autonomous proliferation of cells, usually tumours or masses. They can be benign (will not spread) or malignant (will spread to distant sites and metastasize).
Discuss metabolic/endocrine as a cause of disease.
Disorders of enzymes, hormones or secretory products (type II diabetes), some being genetic (congenital adrenal hyperplasia).
Discuss nutrition as a cause of disease.
Deficiencies in proteins or calories due to insufficient supply (anorexia), decreased absorption, transport utilization (celiac disease) or specific vitamin/mineral deficiencies (scurvy).
The flipside (excess calories) is also a nutritional disease - obesity - and can increase morbidity due to increased risk of a number of conditions (hypertension, diabetes, heart attack).
Discuss vascular disease as a cause of disease.
One of the most common causes of death in developed countries; narrowing of important blood vessels via the process of atherosclerosis underlies common causes for heart attack/stroke.
Discuss psychological factors as a cause of disease.
May be both cause and effect of disease processes. Psychological stress may lead to mental illness/worsen existing somatic disease. Psychological factors are also an important factor in disease caused by addiction. Psychological factors may even improve existing disease (placebo effect).
What is the average life expectancy for males and females?
Males = 79.7 Females = 83.9
