GENERAL

• Disease


  A condition that is marked by an abnormal disturbance in the function and or structure of the human body as a result of some type of injury or trauma
• Pathology


  The study of disease and how it impacts the human body
• Pathogenesis


  The study of the origin and development of a disease
• Sign


  A manifestation that is observable by the health care worker
• Symptom


  Pertains to the patient's perception of what is wrong and is subjective
• Syndrome


  A group of signs and symptoms that characterize an abnormal disturbance
• Etiology


  The study of the cause and origin of a disease
• Idiopathic


  Refers to the fact that there may be no real cause for the disease
• Inflammation


  • The body's ability to wall-off and sequester an injurious agent
  • The ultimate goal is the safe removal of said injurious agents
• Hyperemia


  The process of dilating capillaries to allow fluids and leucocytes to infiltrate the infected area
• Phagocytosis


  The process where leucocytes act to remove cellular debris
• Cardinal signs of inflammation

  Heat, redness, pain, and often a decrease in function
• Abscess


  An inflammatory reaction that causes the injurious agent to become a walled-off ball of pus
• Ulcers


  An inflammatory reaction that is the result of a healing wound located on the skin or a mucous membrane
• Cellulitis


  An acute bacterial infection of the skin and is a type of inflammatory reaction
• Edema


  An abnormal accumulation of fluid in body cavities or intercellular spaces
• Transudates


  Abnormal, extracellular fluid consisting of water with a low cell count
• Exudates


  Fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions and generally contains water, pus, and/or blood
• Ischemia


  An obstruction of the normal blood flow to an organ or structure
• Collateral circulation


  The body's natural defense against ischemia where secondary blood vessels enlarge to play an increasingly important role in an organ's blood supply
• Infarct


  Loss of blood supply to an organ or structure causing the surrounding tissue to become necrotic
• Diseases caused by or resulting in an infarct

  • Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
  • Pulmonary Embolus
  • Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke)
  • Hernia (Mechanical Obstruction)
  • Volvulus (Mechanical Obstruction)
• Hemorrhage


  The loss of blood from the circulatory system
• Types of hemorrhage


  • Hematoma
  • Ecchymosis
  • Purpura
  • Petechia
• Aplasia


  The inability of an organ or structure to form properly
• Atrophy


  The decrease in size of the cells within an organ or structure
• Causes of atrophy


  • Lack of Physical Activity
  • Poor Nourishment
  • Nerve Damage
  • Poor Circulation
• Hypertrophy


  An abnormal increase in cell size, also referred to as hyperplasia or hypergenesis
• Causes of hypertrophy


  • Increase in Physical Activity
  • Hormonal Changes
  • Chronic Inflammation
• Hypertrophy


  • Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen)
• Neoplasm


  The abnormal proliferation of foreign cells that form a mass of tissue within an organ or structure
• Benign neoplasm


  Self-limited and will not spread or seed to distant sites
• Malignant neoplasm (cancer)


  Possesses the ability to spread to distant sites in the body
• Cachexia


  The end-stage condition characterized by fatigue, atrophy, weakness, and anorexia if left untreated or undetected
• Major cancer categories


  • Carcinoma/Adenocarcinoma
  • Sarcoma
  • Leukemia
  • Lymphoma
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma


  The most common type of lymphoma that can develop in any organ associated with the lymphatic system
• Hodgkin's Lymphoma/Disease


  A cancer associated with lymphatic tissue characterized by swollen, rubbery lymph nodes that remain pain-free
• Primary cancer treatment methods

  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation Therapy
• In some instances, a combination of these treatments may be indicated for cancer