Diseases

Introduction

In this section, you'll learn about diseases. You'll review basic variations of diseases and their classification into five main groups.

 

Variations in Disease

There are several components that account for the variations in disease. These can be classified into the following five main groups: congenital, inflammatory, neoplastic, degenerative, and iatrogenic. Here, you'll examine each one separately.

A congenital disease is a condition that exists at or before birth, or that develops during the first month of life. A congenital disease may be the result of genetic abnormalities, damage to the developing fetus, or several other causes. A genetic disorder is an illness caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome, which can be either inherited or arise spontaneously. Cystic fibrosis is an example of an inherited disease, whereas Down syndrome is usually caused by a spontaneous genetic mutation.

Inflammatory diseases can be caused by trauma, infection, or immune responses. Examples of inflammatory disease are appendicitis and tuberculosis (TB). Trauma can result in hemodynamic changes, resulting in a patient going into shock. Inappropriate immune responses can result in autoimmune diseases, such as Graves' disease.

The term hemodynamic refers to the functioning and mechanics of blood circulation. Autoimmune relates to antibodies or T cells that attack molecules, cells, or tissues of the organism producing them; it's an immune response of the body against itself.

Neoplastic diseases are growth disorders that produce tumors. Tumors may be cancerous or benign. Lung cancer is an example of a cancerous growth disorder. Moles and uterine fibroids are examples of benign tumors.

The aging process can result in degenerative diseases, such as osteoarthritis. 

Iatrogenic diseases are caused by medical treatment or drugs. For example, a patient may develop Cushing's syndrome from high-dose steroids. Aplastic anemia can develop from treatment with chloramphenicol.

 

Key Points

• As a disease occurs and progresses, damage occurs within the body caused by the disease process and the body's response.
• Four types of assessment techniques used by healthcare providers to obtain objective information include observation and inspection, auscultation, palpation, and percussion.
• A symptom is a subjective feeling that the patient is reporting; they often can't be easily measured or observed.
• The five main groups used to classify variations in disease include congenital, inflammatory, neoplastic, degenerative, and iatrogenic diseases.