Patho Exam paper 1 - Pathophysiology Q & A

Explain the role of pathophysiology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease - Answer-Pathophysiology is the study of physiologic changes in the body that result from disease processes, and can therefore help identify a disease due to the cause and effect relationships the body's organs and tissues have on each other. Basic pathophysiologic concepts related to the causative factors of a disease (ex: inflammation or infection processes) are common to many diseases and may help narrow the possibilities for diagnosis. Explain the importance of a patient's medical history - Answer-If a patient presents with a condition, the medical history could allow insight to whether the condition is a worsening of a previous condition, or a new problem altogether. The medical history could also provide information about what the patient's risk factors are. Atrophy - Answer-Decrease in size of cells, resulting in reduced tissue mass Causes: Reduced tissue use, insufficient nutrition, decreased neurologic/hormonal stimulation, aging Hypertrophy - Answer-Increase in size of cells, resulting in enlarged tissue mass Causes: Additional tissue use (exercise), excessive hormonal stimulation Hyperplasia - Answer-Increased number of cells resulting in an enlarged tissue mass, can be compensatory mechanism Causes: Increased demands, hormonal imbalance Metaplasia - Answer-One mature cell type is replaced by a different mature cell type, can be an adaptive mechanism to provide more resistant tissue Causes: Vitamin A deficit, smoking, anytime more resistant tissue is needed Dysplasia - Answer-Cells vary in size and shape, large nuclei are frequently present, rate of mitosis is increased. Could be precanerous. Causes: Chronic irritation or infection Anaplasia - Answer-Cells that are undifferentiated with variable nuclear and cell structures and numerous mitotic figures. Loss of structural and functional differentiation. Causes: Cancer, genetic mutation