HSC 4555 Lecture 1: Key Points - Chapter1(1)
Document Summary
Pathophysiology includes four interrelated topics: etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment implications. Etiology refers to study of the proposed cause or causes of a particular disease process. Etiology is a complex notion because most diseases are multifactorial, resulting from interplay between genetic constitution and environmental influences. Pathogenesis refers to the proposed mechanisms whereby an etiologic stimulus leads to typically observed clinical manifestations. Pathogenesis describes the direct effects of the initiating event, as well as the usual physiologic responses and compensatory mechanisms. Clinical manifestations describe the signs and symptoms that typically accompany a particular pathophysiologic process. Manifestations may vary depending on the stage of the disorder, individual variation, and acuity or chronicity. An understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical consequences of a particular disorder may imply that certain treatments could be helpful. Determining whether clinical findings are normal, abnormal, or normal variation is an essential but often difficult process in evaluating for the presence or absence of disease.
