Pathophysiology and Disease Processes terms

70 glossary entries from the Pathophysiology and Disease Processes topic of the CCMA test plan. Try free Pathophysiology and Disease Processes practice questions.

• acuteDescribes a condition with sudden onset and usually short duration.
• AIDSAcquired immunodeficiency syndrome: the advanced stage of HIV infection.
• anaphylaxisA sudden, severe, life-threatening allergic reaction.
• anemiaA deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, reducing the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
• anginaChest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle.
• asthmaA chronic lung disease with airway inflammation and narrowing that causes wheezing and shortness of breath.
• atherosclerosisBuildup of fatty plaque in artery walls, narrowing and hardening the arteries.
• benignNot cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread.
• BPHBenign prostatic hyperplasia: noncancerous enlargement of the prostate.
• CADCoronary artery disease: plaque buildup that narrows the arteries supplying the heart muscle; the most common type of…
• CHFCongestive heart failure: the heart cannot pump enough blood for the body's needs.
• chronicDescribes a condition that lasts a long time or keeps coming back.
• CKDChronic kidney disease: gradual loss of kidney function.
• COPDChronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways and lungs that makes breathing…
• CVACerebrovascular accident (stroke): brain injury from blocked or bleeding blood vessels.
• cyanosisBluish or dusky color of the skin and mucous membranes, usually from low oxygen.
• dehydrationToo little water in the blood and tissues.
• diabetes mellitusA chronic disease of high blood glucose caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin, or both.
• DKADiabetic ketoacidosis: a serious diabetes complication from too little insulin, with high glucose, ketones and acid in…
• DMDiabetes mellitus.
• DVTDeep vein thrombosis: a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg.
• edemaSwelling caused by excess fluid in the tissues.
• embolusMaterial such as a clot, fat or air bubble that travels in the blood and blocks a vessel.
• ESRDEnd-stage renal disease: kidney failure needing dialysis or transplant.
• etiologyThe cause or origin of a disease.
• GERDGastroesophageal reflux disease: stomach contents repeatedly flow back into the esophagus.
• goutA form of arthritis with sudden, severe joint pain, swelling and redness, often in the big toe, caused by uric acid…
• HAVHepatitis A virus, which causes a liver infection.
• HBVHepatitis B virus: a bloodborne virus that infects the liver; OSHA requires employers to offer the hepatitis B vaccine…
• HCVHepatitis C virus: a bloodborne virus that infects the liver.
• heart failureA condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
• hepatitisInflammation of the liver, often caused by a virus.
• HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus: the virus that causes AIDS; a bloodborne pathogen.
• HPVHuman papillomavirus: a common virus that can cause cervical cancer.
• HSVHerpes simplex virus, the cause of herpes infections; it is not curable.
• HTNHypertension (high blood pressure).
• hyperglycemiaAbnormally high blood glucose.
• hypertensionPersistently high blood pressure. Stage cutoffs follow the current AHA/ACC guideline (see the blood pressure cheat…
• hypoglycemiaAbnormally low blood glucose.
• IBDInflammatory bowel disease: Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.
• IBSIrritable bowel syndrome: a disorder of the large intestine that causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel movements.
• infectionInvasion and multiplication of harmful microorganisms in the body, causing disease.
• inflammationThe body's protective response to injury or infection, marked by heat, redness, pain and swelling.
• malignantCancerous; able to invade tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
• metastasisSpread of cancer cells from the original site to other parts of the body.
• MIMyocardial infarction (heart attack): death of heart muscle from blocked blood flow.
• OAOsteoarthritis: wear-related degeneration of joint cartilage.
• OSAObstructive sleep apnea: pauses in breathing during sleep caused by a blocked airway.
• osteoarthritisDegenerative joint disease from breakdown of joint cartilage.
• osteoporosisLoss of bone mass that makes bones weak and likely to break.
• PADPeripheral arterial disease: disease of the arteries outside the heart.
• PEPulmonary embolism: a blood clot, usually from a deep vein, that lodges in an artery of the lungs.
• pneumoniaInfection and inflammation of the lungs.
• PUDPeptic ulcer disease: sores in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
• RARheumatoid arthritis. As a site or EKG electrode label, right arm.
• RSVRespiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of respiratory infections in young children.
• seizureA sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in movement, behavior or awareness.
• sepsisA life-threatening, body-wide response to infection that can damage organs.
• shockA dangerous state in which blood flow is too low to meet the body's needs.
• SIDSSudden infant death syndrome.
• signObjective evidence of disease that can be seen or measured, such as a fever reading or rash.
• SLESystemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): an autoimmune disease that can affect many organs.
• STISexually transmitted infection (older term STD).
• strokeBrain injury caused by blocked or bleeding blood vessels in the brain.
• symptomA subjective change the patient reports, such as pain or nausea.
• TBTuberculosis: infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which mainly affects the lungs.
• thrombusA blood clot that forms inside an intact blood vessel.
• TIATransient ischemic attack: a brief, stroke-like episode from temporary loss of blood flow to the brain.
• URIUpper respiratory infection, such as the common cold.
• UTIUrinary tract infection.