TERMS DEFINITION/S

The set of symptoms characteristics of a medical

Symptomatology
condition or exhibited by a patient.
A physical or mental feature which is regarded as
indicating a condition of disease, particularly such a
Symptom feature that is apparent to the patient.

Covert data (subjective)

Detectable by an observer or can be measured or
tested against an accepted standard
Sign
Can be seen, heard, felt, or smelled

Overt data (objective)

A group of symptoms which consistently occur together,
Syndrome or a condition characterized by a set of associated
symptoms
The science of the causes and effects of diseases,
especially the branch of medicine that deals with the
Pathology
laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for
diagnostic or forensic purposes
Pathogenesis The manner of development of a disease
A statement or conclusion concerning the nature of
some phenomenon
Diagnosis
The identification of the nature of an illness or other
problem by examination of the symptoms
Meaning sequel
Sequela
A pathological condition resulting from a prior disease,
injury, or attack
An unfavorable evolution or consequence of disease, a
health condition or a therapy. The disease can become
worse in its severity or show a higher number of signs,
Complication
symptoms, or new pathological changes, become
widespread throughout the body or affect other organ
systems
The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a
disease
Prognosis
The patient’s chance of recovery
The act or process of becoming healthy after an illness or
Recovery
injury
An alteration in body function resulting in a reduction of
capacities or shortening of the normal life span
Disease
May be caused by external factors such as pathogens or
by internal dysfunctions
Refers to having a disease or a symptom of disease. Also
Morbidity
refers to medical problems caused by a treatment
The frequency or proportion with which disease appears
Morbidity Rate
in a population.
The quality or state of being mortal
Mortality
 The number of deaths in a given time or place
(medical) An emerging science that defines those
aspects of the environment that have direct bearing on
human health
Ecology
The branch of biology that deals with the relations of
organisms to one another and to their physical
surroundings
The study and analysis of the distribution (who, when,
and where) and determinants of health and disease
conditions in defined populations
Epidemiology
The branch of medicine which deals with the incidence,
distribution, and possible control of diseases and other
factors relating to health
The quality or state of being susceptible (the state of
being predisposed to, sensitive to, or of lacking the ability
Susceptibility
to resist something – pathogen, familial disease, or a
drug)
Etiology Agent The cause of a disease or abnormal condition
Virulence The ability of an agent of infection to produce disease

Disease may also describe as:

1. Organic Disease – is one caused by a physical or physiological change to

some tissue or organ of the body. The term sometimes excludes infections.
It is commonly used in contrast with mental disorders.
2. Functional Disease – is a medical condition that impairs normal
functioning of bodily processes that remains largely undetected under
examination, dissection or even under a microscope. At the exterior, there
is no appearance of abnormality.
3. Occupational Disease – is a disease that is caused by the work or working
conditions. Disease must have developed due to exposures in the
workplace and that the correlation between the exposures and the
disease is well known in medical research.
4. Familial Disease – a condition that tends to occur more often in family
members than is expected by chance alone. It can be genetic (e.g cystic
fibrosis) or environmental (e.g. chicken pox).
5. Venereal Disease – a disease typically contracted by sexual contact with
a person who is already infected.
6. Epidemic Disease – an outbreak of disease that attacks many people at
about the same time and may spread through one or several
communities.
7. Endemic Disease – a disease that exists permanently in a particular region
or population
8. Pandemic Disease – is an epidemic disease that has spread across a
large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide.
9. Sporadic Disease – occurring occasionally, singly, or in scattered
instances.
Classification of Disease

1. According to Etiologic Factors

a. Hereditary – due to defect in the genes of one or other parent which is
transmitted to the offspring.
b. Congenital – due to a defect in the development, hereditary factors,
or prenatal infection; present at birth
c. Metabolic – due to disturbances or abnormality in the intricate
processes of metabolism
d. Deficiency – results from inadequate intake or absorption of essential
dietary factors
e. Traumatic – due to injury
f. Allergic – due to abnormal response of the body to chemical or
protein substances or to physical stimuli
g. Neoplastic – due to abnormal or uncontrolled growth of cells
h. Idiopathic – cause is unknown; self-originated; of spontaneous origin
i. Degenerative 0 results from the degenerative changes that occur in
tissue and organs
j. Iatrogenic – results from the treatment of a disease.
2. According to Duration or Onset
a. Acute illness – usually has a short duration and is severe. The signs and
symptoms appear abruptly, are intense and often subside after a
relatively short period. It may affect functioning in any dimension.
b. Chronic illness - persists, usually longer than 6 months, and can also
affect functioning in any dimension. The client may fluctuate between
maximal functioning and serious relapses that may be life threatening
c. Remission - period during which the disease is controlled and symptoms
are not obvious.
d. Exacerbation - the disease becomes more active again at a future
time, with recurrence of pronounced symptoms.
e. Sub-acute - symptoms are pronounced but more prolonged than in
acute disease