PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Hyperkalemia is a potentially life-threatening metabolic problem caused by the inability of the kidneys to excrete potassium, impairment of the mechanisms that transfer potassium from the circulation into…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) can be caused by numerous surgical and medical problems. The skull is a closed compartment, therefore an increase in volume can lead to symptoms…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS The term typhlitis (from the Greek word typhlon, for cecum) was first used by Wagner and colleagues (1970) to describe a necrotizing inflammation of the cecum that was…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is a partial or complete obstruction of the blood flow returning to the heart from the head, neck, upper thorax, and upper extremities….
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS The human body is approximately 60% water, which is contained within two major compartments, the extracellular fluid and the intracellular fluid (Guyton & Hall, 2000). The fluid inside…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Suicide is the act of killing oneself on purpose. The term suicide stems from the Latin words sui, meaning “self,” and caedere, meaning “to kill.” Suicidal ideation is…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Spinal cord compression (SCC) is an oncologic emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Delays in diagnosis result in loss of mobility, loss of bladder function, and decreased…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Healthy individuals with an intact immune system are able to mount a normal immune response to a microbe exposure, preventing colonization of the host. Patients with cancer are…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Sinusoid occlusive syndrome (SOS) is increasingly replacing the term venulo-occlusive disease (VOD), because current research suggests that the initial target of this syndrome is primarily the liver sinusoids…
PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS Malignant pleural effusions are collections of excess body fluid in the pleural space. The pleural space is located between the visceral and parietal pleura. Normally, fluid is shifted…
