NR 283 Patho Exam 1 Study guide / NR283 Patho Exam 1 Study guide (Latest):
Pathophysiology: Chamberlain College of Nursing
CHAPTER 1
Pathophysiology the study of functional or physiologic changes in the body that result from
disease processes.
Characteristics of disease- review all
•Pathogenesis refers to the development of the disease or the sequence of events involved in the
tissue changes related to the specific disease process.
•The onset of a disease may be sudden and obvious or acute; for example, gastroenteritis with
vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea; or the onset may be insidious, best described as a gradual
progression with only vague or very mild signs. Hepatitis may manifest quietly in this way.
There may be several stages in the development of a single disease.
•An acute disease indicates a short-term illness that develops very quickly with marked signs
such as high fever or severe pain; for example, acute appendicitis.
•A chronic disease is often a milder condition developing gradually, such as rheumatoid
arthritis, but it persists for a long time and usually causes more permanent tissue damage. Often a
chronic disease is marked by intermittent acute episodes.
•A subclinical state exists in some conditions in which pathologic changes occur, but no
obvious manifestations are exhibited by the patient, perhaps because of the great reserve capacity
of some organs. For example, kidney damage may progress to an advanced stage of renal failure
before symptoms are manifested.
Pathophysiology: Chamberlain College of Nursing
CHAPTER 1
Pathophysiology the study of functional or physiologic changes in the body that result from
disease processes.
Characteristics of disease- review all
•Pathogenesis refers to the development of the disease or the sequence of events involved in the
tissue changes related to the specific disease process.
•The onset of a disease may be sudden and obvious or acute; for example, gastroenteritis with
vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea; or the onset may be insidious, best described as a gradual
progression with only vague or very mild signs. Hepatitis may manifest quietly in this way.
There may be several stages in the development of a single disease.
•An acute disease indicates a short-term illness that develops very quickly with marked signs
such as high fever or severe pain; for example, acute appendicitis.
•A chronic disease is often a milder condition developing gradually, such as rheumatoid
arthritis, but it persists for a long time and usually causes more permanent tissue damage. Often a
chronic disease is marked by intermittent acute episodes.
•A subclinical state exists in some conditions in which pathologic changes occur, but no
obvious manifestations are exhibited by the patient, perhaps because of the great reserve capacity
of some organs. For example, kidney damage may progress to an advanced stage of renal failure
before symptoms are manifested.
