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What is Pathophysiology?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Pathophysiology is the study of functional changes in the body that occur in response to disease or injury. For example, if someone ingests a toxin, that toxin might be associated with a variety of physical changes, such as inflammation in the stomach lining or necrosis of the extremities. The field is designed to help people study the progress of disease so that they can quickly identify diseases and consider various treatment options.

This area of study is required for most people who work in the medical profession, including doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. Understanding the progress of disease is key to learning how to identify and treat it, and many medical professionals gain additional skills in the course of their work. A radiologist, for example, often becomes quite adept at identifying the structural changes associated with cancer as a result of viewing hundreds or thousands of films.

Radiologist reviewing medical images.
Radiologist reviewing medical images.

There are two separate medical fields involved in pathophysiology. The first is physiology, the study of the body and its functions. The second is pathology, the study of disease and its impact on the body. When combined, students look at how the progress of a disease changes the body, and how the changes can be treated or reversed.

This field of study is not merely academic. Knowing the way in which a disease progresses can allow a medical professional to predict the next stage of a disease, providing appropriate care to the patient. Understanding the ways in which diseases can be treated is also critical, as doctors must choose the best procedures and medications for their patients. Pathophysiology can also be important in end of life care, as healthcare professionals can recognize the signs that a patient is close to the end of his or her life, and they can provide the care needed to keep the patient comfortable.

Pathophysiology can be important in end of life care situations.
Pathophysiology can be important in end of life care situations.

One of the major issues in this discipline is that every human body is different. What may be normal in one person could be abnormal in another, and diseases will not always behave in exactly the same way. For this reason, it is critical for people in this field to be exposed to a diversity of patients and disease manifestations, so that they see real-world examples of physiological and pathological differences. Failure to be exposed to diversity in medical education can be dangerous for doctors and patients, as it may lead to a missed or erroneous diagnosis.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a TheHealthBoard researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a TheHealthBoard researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

snjor

@Anon150396, pathophysiology is generally not a profession in itself. Rather it is a required field of study for almost all professional medical practitioners, including doctors, nurses, and dentists. However, it is possible that if you majored in physiology or a similar field, you could eventually do research in pathophysiology. Do any wiseGEEK readers know of any medical colleges that do research in pathophysiology?

anon150396

i want to become a pathophysiologist. where should i start?

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    • Radiologist reviewing medical images.
      By: beerkoff
      Radiologist reviewing medical images.
    • Pathophysiology can be important in end of life care situations.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      Pathophysiology can be important in end of life care situations.
    • Research into the pathophysiology of similar cases may help a doctor determine the best course of treatment for a patient.
      By: Monkey Business
      Research into the pathophysiology of similar cases may help a doctor determine the best course of treatment for a patient.