pathophysiology
Pathophysiology (noun) means the study of how disease disturbs the normal working of the body, and the disordered processes themselves. Example: “The lecture covered the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.”
How to Use Pathophysiology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow an illness changes the way the body normally works.
Technical, used in medicine, nursing and biomedical science.
Ask 'what is going wrong, and how?' — that is pathophysiology. Ask 'what caused it?' — that is aetiology.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The lecture covered the _____ of type 2 diabetes.
Etymology
From Greek pathos 'suffering, disease' plus physiology, itself from physis 'nature' and -logia 'study of'.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for pathophysiology
See all rhymes for pathophysiology →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pathology and pathophysiology?
Pathology is the study of disease itself, including the structural changes seen in tissues under a microscope. Pathophysiology focuses specifically on the functional changes: how the disease disrupts normal body processes such as blood flow, hormone signalling or gas exchange.
What is the difference between pathophysiology and aetiology?
Aetiology is the cause of a disease, such as a virus, a gene mutation or smoking. Pathophysiology is the chain of events that follows from that cause and produces the symptoms.
Why do nursing students study pathophysiology?
Because it links a patient's signs and symptoms to what is actually happening inside the body, which makes drug choices, monitoring and warning signs make sense rather than being memorised. It is the bridge between basic science and clinical practice.