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2 Introduction to Pathophysiology

By
Sadaf Salam
BSN, (KMU)
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 Objectives
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By the end of this session the learners will be able to:

 Define Pathology and Pathophysiology

 Differentiate among Pathophysiology and other biomedical

sciences.
 Discuss concepts of disease and its development.

 Discuss the importance of Pathophysiology, the general concepts

of disease and its development.

 Discuss the basic concepts of disease and its development.

 Briefly discuss each of the five components of the disease process:

 • Prevalence • Etiology • Pathogenesis • Clinical manifestation •

Outcomes
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Difference B/W Pathology

and Pathophysiology

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 Difference B/W Pathology and
Pathophysiology
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 • Pathology studies cause and then finds treatment,

whereas pathophsiology studies the changes and
then treats the disease.
 • Pathology is important to diagnose using the
clinical signs and via sample examination.
However, pathophysiology could be performed
based on pathological findings.


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Both terms refer to the study of disease, however,

 Pathology is broader term dealing with all aspects
of disease.
 Microscopic and gross characteristics of diseased
organs or tissues.

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 Introduction to Pathology
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 Pathology is literally the study of suffering (pathos).

 More specifically, it is a bridging discipline involving both
basic science and clinical practice and is devoted to the
study of the structural and functional changes in cells,
tissues, and organs that underlie disease.

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 Pathophysiology
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 Pathophysiology focus is on physiology of disease,

of disordered function, or derangement of disease
which has some etiologic agent ( Bacteria) on
susceptible tissues or organs
 the abnormal functioning of diseased organs with
application to diagnostic procedures and patient
care.
 Also includes mechanisms underlying disease.

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Traditionally, the study of pathology is divided

into:
 General pathology
 Special, or systemic, pathology

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General pathology is concerned with the basic

reactions of cells and tissues to abnormal stimuli that
underlie all diseases.

Special pathology examines the specific responses

of specialized organs and tissues to more or less well-
defined stimuli

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 Why is Pathophysiology Important?
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Alteration in physiology enables the clinician to

understand the mechanisms underlying the disease and
its clinical manifestations to devise rational therapies .

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Good health is the state where we are in balance with ourselves

and with the rest of the universe.

"good health" is really a state of

balance of the major aspects of our life.

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 Disease
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 Disease is the condition or state that occurs

when the individual is "out of ease" with his or
herself. That is, out of balance.
 It is at this time of "imbalance" that the immune
system which normally protects us may fail.
 A physiological or psychological dysfunction.
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 The Six Major Aspects
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 What Balance Looks Like
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 What Imbalance Looks Like
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 What Disease Looks Like
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Disease Process

Course of disease

The course of disease is shown with a simplified

diagram as follows.

Exposure Biological onset Clinical onset

Permanent damage Death

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 Disease Process
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 The four aspects of a disease process that form the

core of pathology are

1. its cause (etiology)

2. the mechanisms of its development (pathogenesis)

the structural alterations induced in the cells and

organs of the body (morphologic changes)
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 Disease Process Continued
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3. Signs, Symptoms---
Symptoms-----Subjective experience----pain, malaise
Sign----detected by the observer, Increase body temp
or an irregular pulse. Sign usually emerge in physical
examination.
Syndrome: Characteristic combination of signs and
symptoms. Cushing’s Syndrome
4. the functional consequences of the morphologic
changes (clinical significance or outcome)

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 Etiology or Cause
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There are three major classes of etiologic factors:


Intrinsic or genetic
 Congenital

Acquired (e.g., infectious, nutritional,

chemical, physical).
Idiopathic

 The concept, however, of one etiologic agent for one

disease — developed from the study of infections or
single-gene disorders — is no longer sufficient.

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 Etiology or Cause
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 Genetic etiology: an individual genes are

responsible for some structural or functional defects.
 Congenital disease: The genetic information is intact
But other factors in the embryo's intrauterine
environment interfere with normal development.
Present at birth but may not be recognised or
recognizable at that time.
 e.g. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease, whereas
fetal alcohol syndrome is the result of mother’s
alcohol intake, which produces congenital
abnormalities in genetically normal 07/12/24
infant.
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 Acquired disease: Largest category of etiology

occurs after birth. could be classified as
inflammatory, vascular, growth and metabolic
disorders, degenerative and drug induced Infective.
Genes and development are normal, but other
factors, encountered later, produce the disease like
tuberculosis, emphysema, or hepatitis.
 Congenital could be genetic ( Hemophilia) or non

genetic ( German measles).

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 Pathogenesis
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 Pathogenesis refers to the sequence of events in the

response of cells or tissues to the etiologic agent, from
the initial stimulus to the ultimate expression of the
disease.
 The study of pathogenesis remains one of the main
domains of pathology. Even when the initial infectious
or molecular cause is known, it is many steps removed
from the expression of the disease.
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 Pathogenesis ( Mechanism of Disease)
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For example, to understand cystic fibrosis is to know not only

the defective gene and gene product, but also the biochemical,
immunologic, and morphologic events leading to the formation
of cysts and fibrosis in the lung, pancreas, and other organs.
Acute or chronic
Local or systemic
Focal or diffused

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 Morphology
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 Morphology refers to the fundamental structure or

form of cells or tissues.
 Morphologic changes are concerned with both the

gross anatomic and microscopic changes that are

characteristic of a disease.
 A lesion represents a pathologic or traumatic

discontinuity of a body organ or tissue.

 Descriptions of lesion size and characteristics can be

obtained through the use of radiographs,

ultrasonography, and other imaging methods.
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 Lesions also may be sampled by biopsy

 Histology deals with the study of the cells and
extracellular matrix of body tissues.
 Histologic sections play an important role in the
diagnosis of many types of cancer.

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 Diagnosis
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Diagnosis is the designation as to the nature or cause

of a health problem (e.g., bacterial pneumonia or
hemorrhagic stroke).
The diagnostic process usually require
History

Physical examination (to observe altered body

structure or function).
Laboratory tests, radiologic studies, CT scans, and

other tests.
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 Outcome and consequences of disease
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a) Resolution can occur leaving no sequelae

b) The disease can settle down, but sequelae are left,

or

c) It may result in death.

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