noun
pathophysiology
path-oh-fiz-ee-OL-uh-jee
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.”
noun
1
The study of how disease disturbs the normal working of the body, and the disordered processes themselves.
"The lecture covered the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes."
"Understanding the pathophysiology of heart failure explains why these drugs work."
How to use pathophysiology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow an illness changes the way the body normally works.
When to use it
Technical, used in medicine, nursing and biomedical science.
Memory tip
Ask 'what is going wrong, and how?' — that is pathophysiology. Ask 'what caused it?' — that is aetiology.
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Easily confused with
Common pairings
the pathophysiology of
underlying pathophysiology
pathophysiology and management
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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
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disease mechanism
physiopathology
Related words
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.
What is the meaning of pathophysiology?
"pathophysiology" (noun) means the study of how disease disturbs the normal working of the body, and the disordered processes themselves.
