Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology is the study of the disturbance of normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions, either caused by a disease, or resulting from a disease or abnormal syndrome, or condition that may not qualify to be called a disease.

An alternate definition is "the study of the biological and physical manifestations of disease as they correlate with the underlying abnormalities and physiological disturbances." [Craig Scanlon, Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy, St. Louis, 1999, p. 1186.]

Related fields

Pathophysiology can be looked at as the intersection of two older, related disciplines: (normal) physiology and pathology.

* Physiology is the study of normal, healthy bodily function (as opposed to anatomy, which is the study of normal structure). When something disrupts normal physiological processes, it enters the realm of pathophysiology.

* Pathology, broadly speaking, is the "study of the nature and cause of disease." [Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Clayton Thomas, Philadelphia, 1993, p. 1445.] or the results of disease in the body.

Pathophysiology looks at the detailed malfunctioning that comes from or - alternately - causes disease.

One caution in this approach is that "healthy" structure and function is not precisely the same in any two individuals.

Examples

An example from the field of infectious disease would be the study of a toxin released by a bacterium, and what that toxin does to the body to cause harm, one possible result being sepsis.

Another example is the study of the chemical changes that take place in body tissue due to inflammation.

Uses

Pathophysiology is a required study for most nursing school programs in the United States as well as other countries.

ee also

*Pathology

References

*Kumar, V., Abbas, A. and N. Fausto. 2004. "Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease." Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company

External links

* [http://www.minnay.com/products/pathophys_index.html Pathophysiology Resources]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pathophysiology — (adj.) 1952, from PATHO (Cf. patho ) + PHYSIOLOGY (Cf. physiology) …   Etymology dictionary

  • pathophysiology — “+ noun Etymology: path + physiology : the physiology of abnormal states; specifically : the functional changes that accompany a particular syndrome or disease the pathophysiology of diabetes …   Useful english dictionary

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  • Pathophysiology of hypertension — A diagram explaining factors affecting arterial pressure The pathophysiology of hypertension is an area of active research, attempting to explain causes of hypertension, which is a chronic disease characterized by elevation of blood pressure.… …   Wikipedia

  • pathophysiology — noun Date: 1947 the physiology of abnormal states; specifically the functional changes that accompany a particular syndrome or disease • pathophysiological or pathophysiologic adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pathophysiology — /path oh fiz ee ol euh jee/, n. Pathol. the physiology of abnormal or diseased organisms or their parts; the functional changes associated with a disease or syndrome. [1950 55; PATHO + PHYSIOLOGY] * * * …   Universalium

  • pathophysiology — noun The physiological processes associated with disease or injury …   Wiktionary

  • Pathophysiology — Deranged function in an individual or an organ that is due to a disease. A pathophysiologic alteration is a change in function as distinguished from a structural defect. * * * Derangement of function seen in disease; alteration in function as… …   Medical dictionary

  • pathophysiology — noun Medicine the disordered physiological processes associated with disease or injury. Derivatives pathophysiologic adjective pathophysiological adjective pathophysiologically adverb …   English new terms dictionary

  • pathophysiology — patho·physiology …   English syllables

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