Pathophysiology Essay

Pathophysiology is the study of the functioning of an organism in the presence of disease. Understanding the pathophysiological effects of diseases is an important aspect of being a paramedic and is a skill that will be utilized during virtually every patient contact. It allows EMS providers to deliver the appropriate interventions to patients based on their body's functions, and helps predict how the patient’s body will react to the treatment. There are many factors that cause disease. Some diseases can be controlled by diet, exercise, or medicine while other diseases are considered to be uncontrollable, such as those caused by genetics. Diseases can be hereditary, lifestyle based, immunological, environmental, sex-related, or age-related.

Cells attempt to adapt to and overcome adverse conditions by changing their structure or function. This is the body’s way of fighting off diseases and returning the body to a state of homeostasis. Sometimes, the cells are overpowered and become injured or destroyed. For example, cells suffer from hypoxic injury when there is a decreased amount of oxygen in the air or they lose their ability to carry hemoglobin. This can cause a person to experience light-headedness, fatigue, or numbness. If the problem is severe enough, a person may present with confusion, disorientation, or intense headaches. If cells continue to be exposed to this hypoxic environment, irreversible damage or death can occur. Immunologic diseases are caused by hyperactivity or hypoactivity of the immune system. Allergies, for example, are acquired after being exposed to a stimulant, or allergen. Repeated exposures to the allergen cause a response from the immune system, which typically include swelling, itching, sneezing, or coughing. Cancer is when some of the body’s cells begin to divide uncontrollably, eventually spreading to surrounding healthy