Pathophysiology

Overview

Functional changes from disease/injury bridging normal physiology and clinical presentation. Tested on MA, EMT, and Paramedic exams.

Clinical connection: Respirations technique involves Count without patient awareness (keep fingers on wrist), observe chest rise, count 30 sec x 2 or 60 .

Documentation

Documentation of pathophysiology in the medical office uses ICD-10-CM: Diagnosis coding with alphanumeric codes, 3-7 characters, maintained by WHO/NCHS.

Examples: J06.9: Upper respiratory infection; E11.65: Type 2 diabetes with hyperglycemia; S52.501A: Fracture of lower end of radius, initial encounter.

All documentation must be timely, accurate, legible, and include the provider signature. Late entries must be labeled as such with the date of the original event.

Workplace Applications

Workplace application of pathophysiology requires fluency in medical terminology:

Historical Context

Standards for pathophysiology have evolved over decades of clinical research and regulatory development. Current evidence-based guidelines reflect lessons learned from adverse events, clinical trials, and quality improvement initiatives. Staying current with guideline updates is part of professional continuing education requirements.