Complication (medicine)
-
Complication, in medicine, is an unfavorable evolution of a disease, a health condition or a medical treatment. The disease can become worse in its severity or show a higher number of signs, symptoms or new pathological changes, become widespread throughout the body or affect other organ systems. A new disease may also appear as a complication to a previous existing disease. A medical treatment, such as drugs or surgery may produce adverse effects and/or produce new health problem(s) by itself. Therefore, a complication may be iatrogenic, i.e., literally brought forth by the physician.
Medical knowledge about a disease, procedure or treatment usually entails a list of the most common complications, so that they can be foreseen, prevented or recognized more easily and speedily.
Depending on the degree of vulnerability, susceptibility, age, health status, immune system condition, etc. complications may arise more easily. Complications affect adversely the prognosis of a disease. Non-invasive and minimally invasive medical procedures usually favor fewer complications in comparison to invasive ones.
Examples of complications
- Generalized septicemia (infection of the blood) may occur as a complication of an infected wound or abscess
- Allergic shock can be a reaction to several kinds of anesthetics, as a complication in a surgery
- Fractured ribs and sternum may be a complication of cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts in people suffering severe osteoporosis
- Puerperal fever may be a common complication of childbirth and used to kill a large proportion of mothers before the advent of antisepsis and antibiotics
- Diabetes mellitus may present a series of complications in an advanced or more severe stage, such as gangrene, diabetic foot, blindness, infections, etc.
- Thrombosis in the heart or brain, causing stroke or acute myocardial infarction can be complications of blood coagulation disorders, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), endocarditis and artificial heart valves
- Eczema vaccinatum is a rare and severe complication of smallpox vaccination in people with eczema
- Hepatotoxic dementia is a possible complication of hepatitis and liver cirrhosis
- Mental retardation is a common complication of untreated hydrocephalus
- A paradoxical reaction to a drug; that is, a reaction that is the opposite to the intended purpose of the drug. An example is benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs considered minor tranquilizers with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant effects; paradoxically they may also create hyperactivity, anxiety, convulsions etc. in susceptible individuals. [1]
- Erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence are prevalent to prostatectomy.
- Adverse effect (medicine)
- Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
- Diagnosis
- Iatrogenesis
- Nocebo
- Placebo (origins of technical term)
- Prognosis
- Sequela
- Late effect
References
Categories:
- Medical terms
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Complication — may refer to: Complication (medicine), an infrequent and unfavorable evolution of a disease, a health condition or a medical treatment Complication (horology), a special feature in a mechanical clock Complication , a track from The Fragile by… … Wikipedia
complication — ► NOUN 1) a circumstance that complicates something; a difficulty. 2) an involved or confused state. 3) Medicine a secondary disease or condition aggravating an already existing one … English terms dictionary
complication — A morbid process or event occurring during a disease that is not an essential part of the disease, although it may result from it or from independent causes. * * * com·pli·ca·tion .käm plə kā shən n a secondary disease or condition that develops… … Medical dictionary
medicine, history of — Introduction the development of the prevention and treatment of disease from prehistoric and ancient times to the 20th century. Medicine and surgery before 1800 Primitive (primitive culture) medicine and folklore Unwritten history is not… … Universalium
medicine — /med euh sin/ or, esp. Brit., /med seuhn/, n., v., medicined, medicining. n. 1. any substance or substances used in treating disease or illness; medicament; remedy. 2. the art or science of restoring or preserving health or due physical condition … Universalium
complication — In medicine, a medical problem that occurs during a disease, or after a procedure or treatment. The complication may be caused by the disease, procedure, or treatment or may be unrelated to them … English dictionary of cancer terms
complication — noun 1》 a circumstance that complicates something; a difficulty. ↘a confused or complex state. 2》 Medicine a secondary disease or condition aggravating an already existing one … English new terms dictionary
Adverse effect (medicine) — In medicine, an adverse effect is a harmful and undesired effect resulting from a medication or other intervention such as chemotherapy or surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a side effect (when judged to be secondary to a main or… … Wikipedia
Hyperbaric medicine — Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the medical use of oxygen at a higher than atmospheric pressure. Uses Several therapeutic principles are made use of in HBOT: *The increased overall pressure is of therapeutic … Wikipedia
Obstetric labor complication — Classification and external resources ICD 10 O60 O75 ICD 9 … Wikipedia