Etiology
Cause of disease. Study of causes or reasons for phenomena, identifies casual factors acting in concert that provoke a particular disease or
... [Show More] injury.
Idiopathic
Cause is unknown.
Iatrogenic
Cause results from medical treatment.
Risk factor
A factor that when present, increases the likelihood of disease.
Pathogenesis
Development or evolution of disease, from initial stimulus to ultimate expression of manifestations of disease.
Symptoms
Subjective feeling or abnormality of the body (can NOT see or palpate). Example: pain.
Signs
Objective or observed manifestation of disease (CAN see).
Syndrome
A set of signs and symptoms not yet determined to delineate a disease and occur together.
Latent period
Time between exposure and first appearance of signs/symptoms; latent period also refers to period during illness when signs/symptoms become mild or silent.
Prodromal period
Time during first signs/symptoms appear or onset of disease occurs.
Subclinical stage
Patient functions normally, disease processes are well established
Acute clinical course
Short-lived, may have severe manifestation
Chronic clinical course
May last months or years, sometimes following acute
Illness
Symptomatic and debilitating stage of a disease.
Remission
Decrease in severity, signs or symptoms; may indicate disease is cured.
Exacerbation
Increase in severity, signs or symptoms
Convalescence
Stage of recovery after a disease, injury, or surgical procedure
Sequela
Subsequent pathologic condition resulting from an acute illness
Sensitivity
Probability that a test will be positive when applied to a person with a particular condition
Specificity
Probability that a test will be negative when applied to a person without a particular condition
Validity
Degree to which a measurement reflects the true value of what it intends to measure
Predictive value
Extent to which a test can differentiate between presence or absence of a person's condition
Epidemiology
Study of the patterns of disease involving populations
Endemic disease
Native to a local region
Epidemic disease
Spread to many people at the same time
Pandemic disease
Spread to large geographic areas
Primary prevention
vaccinations, altering susceptibility; reducing exposure for susceptible persons
Secondary prevention
early detection, screening, and management of disease
Tertiary prevention
rehabilitation, supportive care, reducing disability, and restoring effective functioning following disease [Show Less]