Basic Terminologies in

Pathophysiology
Mehdi Hayat Khan
Sr. Nursing Instructor
BSN, M.Phil Physiology, MSN*
mehdisnc05@gmail.com
 Why pathophysiology is important
for medical students and physicians??

It helps them to find answers to important questions related to

disease processes:
a. What is the cause/causes of the disease, and why the disease is
developing?

b. What are the mechanisms responsible for disease onset,

progression, and recovery?

c. What are the mechanisms responsible for development of

symptoms and signs of disease ?
Copyright © 2021 by Mehdi Hayat Khan 2
 Why pathophysiology is important
for medical students and physicians??

 If doctors are able to understand the causes and

mechanisms of the disease, then they are able to find
the way how to influence them rationally.

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 The main aims of teaching
pathohysiology

Students should understand fundamental general and specific

pathomechanisms involved in onset, development and ending of
diseases.
 To know and understand pathophysiological terms
 To know and understand essential pathomechanisms
 To connect separate pathomechanizms to rational pathogenetic
network characteristic for different pathological processes
 To understand a pathologic process as event which influence the
whole body
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 Structure of pathophysiology
1. General pathophysiology
2. Special /organs, systems/ pathophysiology
1. General pathophysiology:
It deals with general pathologic processes, and pathomechanisms: -
thay are involved in pathogenesis of more than one disease. It also
contain explanation of some basic medical terms.
Unit I: Introduction to Pathophysiology
Unit II: Mechanism of infection of inflammation
Unit III: Cellular adaptation & aberrant cell growth
Unit IV: Trauma & cell injury.
Unit V: Homeostasis imbalances Fluid Electrolyte Imbalance Acid
Base Imbalance:
Unit VI : Immunological disorders
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 Structure of pathophysiology

2. Special pathophysiology: is devoted to analysis and

explanation of pathomechanisms involved in functional
disturbances of the organs and systems of the organism:

Unit I: Genetic Disorders

UNIT II: Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
UNIT III: Disorders of Neurological system
Unit IV Disorder of Special Senses (Eye & ear)
Unit V Disorder of Cardiovascular system
UNIT VI: Alteration in Musculoskeletal support and movement.
(Trauma & Injury)

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 Pathology

 Patho means” suffering “ and logos means "study”

 The” scientific study of disease is called pathology”.
or the alterations that occur when abnormal
influences (bacteria, viruses, etc.) affect cells, tissues,
or body systems.
 It involves the investigation of the causes of disease
and the associated changes at the level of cells, tissue
and organ.

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 What is disease?

 A disease may be defined as a "state in which an

individual exhibits a physiological, or biochemical
deviation the normal.” or “any deviation from or
interruption of the normal structure or function of
any part.
 Occurs when cellular environment changes to such a
degree that tissues are no longer able to perform
their function optimally

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 Classification of disease

1. Inflammatory disease e.g tuberclusis , appendicitis

2. Degenerative disease e.g rheumatoid arthiritis
3. Neoplastic disease e.g lung cancer
4. Traumatic disease e.g fracture of bone.

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 Wound and Injury

 A wound is a type of injury which happens relatively

quickly in which skin is torn, cut, or punctured (an
open wound), or where blunt force trauma causes a
contusion (a closed wound).
 In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury
which damages the dermis of the skin.

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 Etiology

 The term "etiology" refers to a "study of the cause of a

disease." An etiologic agent is the factor (bacterium, virus, etc.)
responsible for lesions or a disease state.
 Genetic: Abnormality in Genetic makeup
 Acquired
 Physical Agents
 Chemical Poisons
 Nutritionals Deficiency
 Infectious
 Abnormality immunological reactions
 Psychological factors

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 Prognosis

 The term "prognosis" refers to the probably outcome

of a disease in a living individual. It is the clinician's
estimate of the severity and possible result of a
disease.
 A forecasting of the probable course and outcome of
a disease, especially of the chances of recovery.

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 Diagnosis

 The term "diagnosis" refers to the "determination of

the nature of a disease expressed in a concise
manner.”

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 Pathogenesis

 The term "pathogenesis" refers to the "progressive

development (sequence of events) of a disease from
the time it is initiated to its final conclusion in
recovery or death.“
 The pathogenesis of a disease is the biological
mechanism (or mechanisms) that leads to the
diseased state. The term can also describe the origin
and development of the disease, and whether it is
acute, chronic

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 Types of disease

 Acute
 Characteriesed by a sudden onset or rapid course
 Commonly know these acute diseases as colds, flu,
bronchitis, childhood illnesses, tonsillitis, appendicitis,
ear aches, most headaches, most infectious disease,
etc
 With a short (often less than 1 month) clinical course.
 Usually respond to therapy and return to a state of
complete normal or pre morbid stage.
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 Chronic

 Slow onset or long duration . Chronic diseases are those which

have a prolonged duration and pain perception may not be
severe e.g.
 Asthma
 Bronchiectasis
 Cardiac failure
 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 Chronic kidney disease
 Coronary artery disease
 Diabetes
 Rheumatoid arthritis

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 Idiopathic

 Disease with unknown cause.

 Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin
may be termed idiopathic.
 For example, acute idiopathic polyneuritis, ,idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic scoliosis.

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 Course of a disease

 The course of a disease, also called its natural history,

refers to the development of the disease in a patient,
including the sequence and speed of the stages and
forms they take.

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 Syndrome

 A syndrome is a set of medical signs and symptoms

and collection of diseases which are not correlated
with each other and often associated with a particular
disease or disorder.

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 Teratogenic

 Disease that are caused by drugs that cross the

placenta barrier and harm to fetus.
 There are many different examples of teratogens that
cause birth defects. Listed in the directory below are
some, for which we have
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
 Phenytoin (Dilantin)
 Varicella
 Toxoplasmosis
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 Venereal

 Transmitted by sexual contact.

 Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that
are passed from one person to another through sexual
contact.
 The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, yeast, and
viruses. There are more than 20 types of STDs, including
 Genital herpes
 Gonorrhea
 HIV/AIDS
 Syphilis

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 Infectious

 Caused by pathogenic microorganism.

 A disease caused by the entrance into the body of
organisms (as bacteria, protozoans, fungi, or viruses)
which grow and multiply there.

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 Incubation period

 The incubation period of the virus is the time between

when you contract the infection and when you start to
have symptoms. It lasts for 4 to 6 weeks. The signs and
symptoms typically last for 1 to 2 months.
 The incubation period may be shorter in young children.
 Some symptoms, like sore throat and fever, typically lessen
after 1 or 2 weeks.
 Other symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fatigue,
and an enlarged spleen may last a few weeks longer.

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 Mutagenic

 May be of physical, chemical or biological origin.

 They may act directly on the DNA, causing direct
damage to the DNA, and most often result in
replication error, or mutations.

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 Non-Communicable

 A non-communicable disease or NCD is a disease

which is not infectious. Such diseases may result from
genetic or lifestyle factors.
 A non-communicable disease is an illness that is
caused by something other than a pathogen. It might
result from hereditary factors, improper diet,
smoking, or other factors... Examples include
hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
cancer, and mental health problems, asthma etc..

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 Communicable disease

 an infectious disease transmissible (as from person to

person) by direct contact with an affected individual or the
individual's discharges or by indirect means (as by a
vector).
 Transmitted by agents fomites , vector. Contagious
Transmitted by direct or intimate or contact with skin
 Flu, HepatitisB, Rabies.
 HIV/AIDS
 Sexually Transmitted Disease
 Tuberculosis
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 Splenomegaly

 An enlarged spleen can be caused by infections,

cirrhosis and other liver diseases, blood diseases
characterized by abnormal blood cells, problems with
the lymph system, or other conditions. Viral
infections, such as mononucleosis.
 The spleen typically weighs 150 grams (5.3 oz) in a
typical adult and spans about 11 cm (4.3 inches)
vertically in its longest dimension.

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 Hepatomegaly

 Hepatomegaly is the condition of having an enlarged

liver.
 It is a non-specific medical sign having many causes,
which can broadly be broken down into infection,
hepatic tumours, or metabolic disorder.
 The normal liver weighs 1.4 to 1.5 kg in men and 1.2 to
1.4 kg in women

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 Lymphadenopathy

 Lymphadenopathy or adenopathy is disease of the

lymph nodes, in which they are abnormal in size or
consistency.
 Lymphadenopathy of an inflammatory type (the most
common type) is lymphadenitis, producing swollen or
enlarged lymph nodes

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 Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology
(FNAC)

 Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is a technique

whereby cells are obtained from a lesion using a thin
bore needle and smears are made for
cytopathological diagnosis.
 This technique is based on the fact that tumor cells
are less cohesive and are easily aspirated.
 Used in the diagnosis of breast lumps, thyroid
nodules, liver disease, subcutaneous soft tissue mass,
salivary gland diseases and oral diseases.

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 Biopsy

 Biopsy refers to the removal and examination of

tissue obtained from the living body.
 If you're experiencing certain signs and symptoms or
if your doctor has identified an area of concern, you
may undergo a biopsy to determine whether you
have cancer or some other condition.

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 Autopsy

 A post-mortem examination, also known as an

autopsy, is the examination of a body after death.
 An autopsy (also known as a post-mortem
examination or necropsy) is the examination of the
body of a dead person and is performed primarily to
determine the cause of death, to identify or
characterize the extent of disease states that the
person may have had.

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 Signs and symptoms

 Signs and symptoms are abnormalities that can

indicate a potential medical condition.
 A symptom is subjective, that is, apparent only to the
patient (for example back pain or fatigue).
 A sign is any objective evidence of a disease that can
be observed by others (for example a skin rash or
lump).

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 Reference Books

 Carol, P. M. (2010). Pathophysiology concept of

altered health states. Philadelphia:J. B. Lippincott
 Author D. Fluid & electrolyte made incredibly easy.
(2002). 2nd ed). Pennsylvania springhouse.
 Sue, Huether E. (2000). Understanding
pathophysiology New York: Mosby.
 Wilson, S. A. P & LM. (1997). Clinical concepts of
disease processes (5th ed). Mosby.

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