COMPREHENSIVE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY REVIEWER

Asthma
DEFINITION: A chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Trigger exposure → Airway inflammation → Bronchoconstriction → Increased mucus
production → Airflow obstruction

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Wheezing
 Shortness of breath
 Chest tightness
 Cough

RISK FACTORS:

 Allergens
 Smoking
 Air pollution
 Family history

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Hypoxia
 Tachypnea
 Cyanosis

COPD
DEFINITION: A chronic lung disease causing airflow limitation.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Smoking/Irritants → Chronic inflammation → Airway narrowing → Air trapping → Impaired
gas exchange

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Chronic cough
 Dyspnea
 Sputum production
 Wheezing

RISK FACTORS:

 Smoking
 Air pollution
 Occupational exposure
 Genetics

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Barrel chest
 Hypoxia
 Fatigue

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Coronary artery blockage → Decreased oxygen supply → Ischemia → Myocardial cell death
→ Reduced cardiac output

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Chest pain
 Sweating
 Dyspnea
 Nausea

RISK FACTORS:

 Smoking
 Hypertension
 Diabetes
 High cholesterol

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Arrhythmias
 Heart failure
 Cardiogenic shock

Heart Failure
DEFINITION: A condition where the heart cannot pump effectively.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Heart damage → Reduced pumping ability → Decreased cardiac output → Fluid retention →
Congestion

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Dyspnea
 Fatigue
 Edema
 Orthopnea

RISK FACTORS:

 Hypertension
 CAD
 Diabetes
 Smoking

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Pulmonary edema
 Crackles
 Jugular vein distention

Hypertension
DEFINITION: Persistent elevation of blood pressure.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Increased vascular resistance → Increased blood pressure → Increased heart workload →
Organ damage

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Headache
 Dizziness
 Blurred vision

RISK FACTORS:

 Obesity
 High salt intake
 Stress
 Family history

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Stroke
 Kidney damage
 Heart disease

Iron Deficiency Anemia

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fatigue
 Pallor
 Weakness
 Shortness of breath

RISK FACTORS:

 Poor diet
 Blood loss
 Pregnancy
 Malabsorption

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Tachycardia
 Dizziness
 Cold extremities

Aplastic Anemia
DEFINITION: Failure of bone marrow to produce blood cells.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Bone marrow damage → Decreased RBC/WBC/Platelets → Anemia → Infection and bleeding

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fatigue
 Bleeding
 Fever
 Pallor

RISK FACTORS:

 Radiation
 Chemotherapy
 Toxins
 Autoimmune disease

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Petechiae
 Infections
 Weakness

Leukemia
DEFINITION: Cancer of blood-forming tissues.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Mutation in bone marrow cells → Uncontrolled WBC production → Crowding out normal
cells → Anemia/Infection

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fatigue
 Bone pain
 Bleeding
 Fever

RISK FACTORS:

 Radiation
 Smoking
 Genetics
 Chemical exposure

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Weight loss
 Infections
 Lymphadenopathy

HIV
DEFINITION: A viral infection that weakens the immune system.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
HIV infection → CD4 cell destruction → Weak immune response → Opportunistic infections

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fever
 Weight loss
 Fatigue
 Night sweats

RISK FACTORS:

 Unprotected sex
 Needle sharing
 Blood exposure
 Mother-to-child transmission

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Pneumonia
 Chronic diarrhea
 Opportunistic infections

AKI
DEFINITION: Sudden decline in kidney function.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Kidney injury → Decreased filtration → Waste accumulation → Fluid and electrolyte
imbalance

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Oliguria
 Edema
 Nausea
 Fatigue

RISK FACTORS:

 Dehydration
 Sepsis
 Nephrotoxic drugs
 Trauma

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Hyperkalemia
 Hypertension
 Confusion

CKD
DEFINITION: Progressive irreversible kidney damage.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Chronic kidney damage → Loss of nephrons → Reduced filtration → Waste buildup → ESRD

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fatigue
 Edema
 Nausea
 Decreased urine output
RISK FACTORS:

 Diabetes
 Hypertension
 Smoking
 Glomerulonephritis

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Anemia
 Uremia
 Electrolyte imbalance

PUD
DEFINITION: Open sores in the stomach or duodenal lining.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
H. pylori/NSAID use → Mucosal damage → Acid injury → Ulcer formation

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Burning abdominal pain

RISK FACTORS:

 NSAID use
 Smoking
 Stress
 H. pylori infection

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 GI bleeding
 Melena
 Perforation

Liver Cirrhosis
DEFINITION: Chronic liver scarring causing liver dysfunction.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Chronic liver injury → Fibrosis → Impaired liver function → Portal hypertension

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Jaundice
 Ascites
 Fatigue
 Edema

RISK FACTORS:

 Alcoholism
 Hepatitis
 Obesity
 Fatty liver disease

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Varices
 Bleeding
 Encephalopathy

Hypothyroidism
DEFINITION: Decreased production of thyroid hormones.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Low thyroid hormone → Decreased metabolism → Slowed body processes

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Fatigue
 Weight gain
 Cold intolerance
 Constipation

RISK FACTORS:

 Autoimmune disease
 Thyroid surgery
 Radiation
 Iodine deficiency

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Bradycardia
 Dry skin
 Myxedema

Hypoparathyroidism
DEFINITION: Low parathyroid hormone causing hypocalcemia.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Decreased PTH → Reduced calcium absorption → Hypocalcemia → Neuromuscular
excitability

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Muscle cramps
 Tetany
 Tingling
 Seizures

RISK FACTORS:

 Neck surgery
 Radiation
 Autoimmune disease
 Genetics

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Positive Chvostek sign

Diabetes Mellitus (DM)

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Insulin deficiency/resistance → Hyperglycemia → Impaired glucose use → Complications

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Polyuria
 Polydipsia
 Polyphagia
 Fatigue

RISK FACTORS:

 Obesity
 Poor diet
 Family history
 Sedentary lifestyle

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Neuropathy
 Retinopathy
 Nephropathy

Parkinson’s Disease
DEFINITION: A progressive neurological movement disorder.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Loss of dopamine neurons → Reduced dopamine → Impaired motor control

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Tremors
 Rigidity
 Bradykinesia
 Postural instability

RISK FACTORS:

 Aging
 Genetics
 Head injury
 Environmental toxins

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Shuffling gait
 Balance problems
 Mask-like face

Multiple Sclerosis
DEFINITION: An autoimmune disease causing CNS demyelination.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Immune attack → Demyelination → Impaired nerve conduction → Neurological deficits

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Weakness
 Vision changes
 Numbness
 Fatigue

RISK FACTORS:

 Smoking
 Genetics
 Low vitamin D
 Viral infections
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Ataxia
 Diplopia
 Bladder dysfunction

Myasthenia Gravis
DEFINITION: An autoimmune disorder causing muscle weakness.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:
Autoantibodies attack acetylcholine receptors → Impaired neuromuscular transmission →
Muscle weakness

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Ptosis
 Diplopia
 Muscle fatigue
 Difficulty swallowing

RISK FACTORS:

 Autoimmune disorders
 Thymoma
 Genetics
 Infections

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:

 Respiratory weakness
 Speech difficulty
 Myasthenic crisis