Pathophysiology of Disease Quiz

Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Disease

Pathophysiology

• Study of the functional changes that accompany a particular syndrome, disease, or condition
• Combines parts, processes, or aspects that carry out a common function

Key Terms

• Aetiology: the cause of a disease or condition
• Pathogenesis: the manner of development of a disease
• Risk Factors: something that increases the chances of developing a disease or condition
• Pathophysiology: the physiology of abnormal states
• Sequelae: conditions that are the consequence of a previous disease or injury

Infection

• Signs and Symptoms:
  • Mal-odour
  • Mottled skin
  • Hyperthermia
  • Exudate
• Chain of Infection:
  • Causative agent
  • Susceptible host
  • Reservoir
  • Portal of exit
  • Portal of entry
  • Transmission
• Conditions necessary for pathogen to cause infection:
  • Pathogen invades host
  • Host environment allows it to multiply
  • Pathogen is not affected by the host's defense mechanisms
  • Pathogen able to produce disease harmful to the host

Immunity

• Non-Specific (Innate) Immunity:
  • Mechanical Mechanisms
  • Chemicals
  • Complement
  • Interferon
  • Cells (such as leucocytes)
  • Inflammatory response
• Specific (Adaptive) Immunity:
  • Involves antibodies (and antigens)
  • T Cells (Cell-mediated immunity)
  • B Cells (antibodies)
• Immune System Changes with Ageing:
  • Thymic involution (shrinking of Thymus)
  • Decreased cell-mediated immunity
  • Decreased proliferative response of T and B cells
  • Decrease primary and secondary antibody responses

Inflammation

• Definition: a sequential reaction to cell injury (e.g., cuts, burns)
• Mechanisms:
  • Neutralises and dilutes the inflammatory agent
  • Removes necrotic materials
  • Establishes an environment suitable for healing and repair
• Types of Cell Injury:
  • Heat
  • Radiation
  • Trauma
  • Chemicals
  • Allergens
  • Autoimmune reaction
• Signs and Symptoms:
  • Redness (hyperaemia from vasodilation)
  • Heat (increased metabolism at inflammatory site)
  • Pain (change in pH, nerve stimulation by chemicals)
  • Swelling (fluid shift to interstitial spaces, fluid exudate accumulation)
  • Loss of function (swelling and pain)
  • Fever (increased muscle tone, shivering, decreased sweating and peripheral blood flow)

Neoplasms

• Definition: an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should
• Types:
  • Benign (non-cancerous)
  • Malignant (cancerous)
• The Cell Life Cycle:
  • An abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should
• Dysfunction in Cancer:
  • Defective cell differentiation (cells don't or don't properly develop their specialised features)
  • Defective cell proliferation (rapid increase in number, replicate)

Neoplasms (continued)

• Pathogenesis of Cancer Metastasis:
  • An abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should

Pathophysiological Mechanism of Disease

• Pathophysiology refers to the physiology of abnormal states, including the functional changes that accompany a particular syndrome, disease, or condition.
• Aetiology refers to the cause of a disease or condition.
• Pathogenesis refers to the manner of development of a disease.
• Risk factors are something that increases the chances of developing a disease or condition.
• Sequelae refer to conditions that are the consequence of a previous disease or injury.

Infection

• Signs and symptoms of infection include mal-odour, mottled skin, hyperthermia, and exudate.
• The chain of infection includes:
  • Causative agent
  • Susceptible host
  • Reservoir
  • Portal of exit
  • Portal of entry
  • Transmission
• For an infection to occur, a pathogen must invade the host, multiply, evade the host's defense mechanisms, and cause disease that is harmful to the host.

Immunity

• Non-specific (innate) immunity includes:
  • Mechanical mechanisms
  • Chemicals
  • Complement
  • Interferon
  • Cells (such as leucocytes)
  • Inflammatory response
• Specific (adaptive) immunity includes:
  • Antibodies (and antigens)
  • T cells (cell-mediated immunity)
  • B cells (antibodies)
• Immune system changes with ageing include:
  • Thymic involution (shrinking of Thymus)
  • Decreased cell-mediated immunity
  • Decreased proliferative response of T and B cells
  • Decreased primary and secondary antibody responses

Inflammation

• The inflammatory response is a sequential reaction to cell injury (e.g., cuts, burns).
• It neutralises and dilutes the inflammatory agent, removes necrotic materials, and establishes an environment suitable for healing and repair.
• Types of cell injury include:
  • Heat
  • Radiation
  • Trauma
  • Chemicals
  • Allergens
  • Autoimmune reaction
• Mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response include:
  • Dilution of the inflammatory agent
  • Removal of necrotic materials
• Leucocytes play a role in the inflammatory response.
• Signs and symptoms of inflammation include:
  • Redness
  • Heat
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Loss of function
  • Increased WBC
  • Pus

Neoplasms

• Neoplasms are abnormal masses of tissue that form when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should.
• Types of neoplasms include:
  • Benign (non-cancerous)
  • Malignant (cancerous)
• The cell life cycle is disrupted in neoplasms, leading to:
  • Defective cell differentiation
  • Defective cell proliferation
• Pathogenesis of cancer metastasis involves the spread of abnormal cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body.