Introduction to Pathophysiology
Patho Thursdays
As I started writing my first post for Patho Thursdays, I realized that it would probably be most beneficial if I started out with an introduction to pathophysiology to lay the groundwork for future posts.
Some of you may already have an understanding of what pathophysiology is and may even have taken a class in it and some of you may be entirely new to the subject - this post will serve as a reference point for:
Relevant definitions that will be used regularly in our discussions
Types of posts for Patho Thursdays and how they relate to pathophysiology
and…
An explanation of why an understanding of the pathophysiology of a disease process is important
Definitions
We’ll start with a definition of pathophysiology…
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology is the study of abnormal changes in the body that are caused by, the result of, or occurring at the same time as, a disease process. This helps us to understand what causes a disease, what that disease causes, and what can also occur in the body when that disease process is occurring.
Next we move on to a few terms that will be used regularly in future Patho Thursday posts in order to structure our discussion of disease processes in a way that logically and chronologically makes sense…
Etiology and Pathogenesis
The etiology of a disease is the origin(s) or cause(s) of a disease or illness. These cause(s) can be either: intrinsic (from within the body), extrinsic (from outside the body), or idiopathic (of unknown origin). The pathogenesis of a disease or illness is the step by step development of a disease or illness. This includes the ways that the disease develops, progresses, and either resolves (goes away) or persists (becomes chronic).
Clinical Manifestations
Clinical manifestations are the signs and symptoms of a disease or illness. Signs are the objective manifestations which are measured or observed by a physician, such as high blood pressure. Symptoms are the subjective manifestations which are observed or experienced by the patient, such as a headache. Sometimes a manifestation can be both a sign and a symptom depending on who is observing it, such as a rash.
Types of Posts
Compare & Contrast - we will look at two diseases or illnesses which are similar but different
Deep Dive - we will look at one disease or illness which requires a more thorough discussion
Rare Disease - we will look at a rare disease or illness which may not be well known to most people
Importance of Pathophysiology
By understanding the pathophysiology of a disease or illness, we can better understand how and why certain treatments are recommended and why they work. We can also start to understand why certain people develop a disease or illness and why others do not. With this type of understanding we can, hopefully, take better control of our health and understand the health struggles of others.
Thanks for reading, see you next time!