what does chronic course mean

by Concepcion Ruecker 7 min read

a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term chronicis often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months.

The term chronic is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. A chronic course is further distinguished from a recurrent course; recurrent diseases relapse repeatedly, with periods of remission in between.Dec 23, 2021

Full Answer

What is the meaning of chronic disease?

n. in the midst of or actively involved in at that time, as "in the course of business, course of employment, course of trade." Copyright © 1981-2005 by Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen T. …

What is another word for chronic course?

Aug 02, 2016 · The term chronic is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include arthritis, asthma, cancer, COPD, diabetes and viral diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS . Finally, the World Health Organization states that chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person.

What is the difference between chronic and acute?

1 a : marked by long duration, by frequent recurrence over a long time, and often by slowly progressing seriousness : not acute chronic indigestion her hallucinations became chronic. b : …

What is the opposite of chronic?

The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include arthritis, asthma, cancer, COPD, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. In medicine, the opposite of chronic is acute.

What is the exact meaning of chronic?

Definition of chronic 1a : continuing or occurring again and again for a long time chronic indigestion chronic experiments. b : suffering from a chronic disease the special needs of chronic patients.

Does chronic mean ongoing?

According to Merriam Webster, “chronic” is something that is “continuing or occurring again and again for a long time.” Using this simpler view, we would exclude something like a broken leg as a chronic condition, but would include reoccurring lower back pain, or hormone-related migraine headaches, for example.Jul 19, 2016

Does chronic mean everyday?

The word "chronic" is used in medicine to refer to any disease or condition that persists over time or is frequently recurring. The term "chronic" is often used in contrast to the word "acute," which refers to a disease or condition that comes on rapidly.Mar 25, 2020

What does chronic treatment mean?

Chronic care refers to medical care which addresses pre-existing or long-term illness, as opposed to acute care which is concerned with short term or severe illness of brief duration.

Does chronic mean serious?

Nor does it mean that symptoms are severe. It simply means that symptoms have developed quickly and that some sort of medical intervention is needed. Similarly, chronic should not be construed to mean fatal or something that will inherently shorten your life. It simply indicates that the condition is not curable.Mar 25, 2020

What is chronic and example?

The definition of chronic is something that lasts for a long time, keeps coming back or continues to happen. An example of chronic is back pain that a person has every day. An example of chronic is allergies that a person has often. An example of chronic is taking pain medication on a daily basis.

What are the 7 most common chronic diseases?

Chronic Diseases and ConditionsDiabetes.Eating Disorders.Heart Disease.Obesity.Oral Health.Osteoporosis.Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Syndrome.Tobacco Use and Related Conditions.More items...

What does chronically ill mean?

(A)The term “chronically ill individual” means any individual who has been certified by a licensed health care practitioner as— (i)being unable to perform (without substantial assistance from another individual) at least 2 activities of daily living for a period of at least 90 days due to a loss of functional capacity, ...

Does chronic illness go away?

Most chronic illnesses do not fix themselves and are generally not cured completely. Some can be immediately life-threatening, such as heart disease and stroke. Others linger over time and need intensive management, such as diabetes.

What are chronic care patients?

Chronic care refers to medical care that addresses a pre-existing or long-term illness, as opposed to acute care, which is concerned with a short-term illness or severe illness of brief duration.Dec 23, 2021

What are the 10 most common chronic diseases?

In 2010, the 10 most common chronic conditions among persons living in residential care facilities were high blood pressure (57% of the residents), Alzheimer's disease or other dementias (42%), heart disease (34%), depression (28%), arthritis (27%), osteoporosis (21%), diabetes (17%), COPD and allied conditions (15%), ...Aug 10, 2012

How do you recover from chronic illness?

10 steps for coping with a chronic conditionGet a prescription for information. ... Make your doctor a partner in care. ... Build a team. ... Coordinate your care. ... Make a healthy investment in yourself. ... Make it a family affair. ... Manage your medications. ... Beware of depression.More items...

What is chronic disease?

Highlighted prominently in the information from the Australian government on chronic disease is the disease burden of mental illness and oral disease.

What are the characteristics of chronic disease?

The variation in meaning is amplified when viewed in an international context. For example, the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare includes the following as common features of chronic disease (11): 1 complex causality, with multiple factors leading to their onset 2 a long development period, for which there may be no symptoms 3 a prolonged course of illness, perhaps leading to other health complications 4 associated functional impairment or disability.

What is the most important element of effective communication?

One important element of effective communication is having a shared language or at least a shared understanding of the meaning of the central words used in a conversation. One term that is often used in discussions between patients and medical providers, in the academic literature, and in policy discussions, is “chronic disease.”.

How long does chronic disease last?

The term chronicis often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months.

What are some examples of chronic diseases?

For example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classify the following as chronic diseases: heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis (5) .

Is cancer a chronic disease?

For example, the CDC lists “cancer” as a chronic disease when, in fact, only certain types of cancers (i.e., multiple myeloma) can be viewed in terms of a chronic illness . Other types of cancers have little treatment options and prove fatal in the near term. Diseases Can Transition from Fatal to Chronic.

What are the four main types of diseases?

are not passed from person to person. They are of long duration and generally slow progression. The four main types … are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes (10) .

What does chronic mean in medical terms?

English Language Learners Definition of chronic. medical : continuing or occurring again and again for a long time. : happening or existing frequently or most of the time. : always or often doing something specified. See the full definition for chronic in the English Language Learners Dictionary.

Where does the word "time" come from?

borrowed from French chronique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin chronicus, going back to Latin, "written in the form of annals," borrowed from Greek chronikós "of time, temporal, in order by time," from chrónos "time" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at chrono-

What does "inveterate" mean?

inveterate, confirmed, chronic mean firmly established. inveterate applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence as to be practically ineradicable or unalterable. an inveterate smoker confirmed implies a growing stronger and firmer with time so as to resist change or reform. a confirmed bachelor chronic suggests something that is persistent or endlessly recurrent and troublesome. a chronic complainer

Is inflation a chronic disease?

Inflation has become a chronic condition in the economy. Don't bother seeing that film—it 's chronic. See More. Recent Examples on the Web Some chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and lung disease are also associated with a higher risk of severe illness and death.

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"chronic." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 6 Mar. 2021. < https://www.definitions.net/definition/chronic >.

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What is chronic health?

With the HHS, chronic is used to describe a public health concern for surveillance purposes. With the CMMS, the term broadly describes a disease for healthcare utilization purposes. There is currently no one consistent definition of either acute or chronic that fits all purposes.

How long does it take for a chronic illness to resolve?

Acute. Symptoms develop quickly. Expected to be brief; typically resolves in less than six months. Chronic.

What are the phases of illness?

General Definitions. Phases of Illness. Flaws in Definitions. Clearing Up Confusion. Broadly speaking, acute conditions occur suddenly, have immediate or rapidly developing symptoms, and are limited in their duration (e.g., the flu). Chronic conditions, on the other hand, are long-lasting.

Can psoriasis be cured?

The same can occur with non-infectious disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Both are considered chronic in that they cannot be cured but can be managed with proper care and treatment. Even so, the diseases can have episodic flares in which acute symptoms spontaneously develop and disappear.

Can HIV be a chronic disease?

Neither does HIV (a chronic infection that can be controlled over a lifetime with antiretroviral drugs) compare to multiple sclerosis (a chronic illness that invariably progresses despite treatment). In the end, labeling an illness as a cute or chronic cannot describe the nature of a disease, nor predict outcomes.

How long does it take for a disease to persist?

Persists beyond six months. Acute does not mean new, although many newly diagnosed diseases present with acute symptoms. Nor does it mean that symptoms are severe. It simply means that symptoms have developed quickly and that some sort of medical intervention is needed.

Is chronic disease curable?

Similarly, chronic should not be construed to mean fatal or something that will inherently shorten your life. It simply indicates that the condition is not curable. Chronic conditions can often be managed (like diabetes or high blood pressure ).

What does "chronic" mean in medical terms?

BSP / UIG / Getty Images. The word "chronic" is used in medicine to refer to any disease or condition that persists over time or is frequently recurring. The term "chronic" is often used in contrast to the word "acute," which refers to a disease or condition that comes on rapidly.

What does it mean to have a chronic illness?

Coping with a chronic illness means coping with the physical and mental effects . You may be dealing with invisible symptoms like pain, fatigue, depression, and stress. Plus, your illness may be impacting your home, work, social, and financial life, which can cause added anxiety and uncertainty about what lies ahead. The following are some tips to cope with a chronic illness.

How does chronic illness affect the family?

11  Taking time out to care for yourself isn’t selfish; it's a priority and perhaps the best thing you can do for you loved one. After all, if you’re not physically and mentally healthy and strong, you won’t have the energy to give your all.

What are some examples of acute illness?

An example of an acute illness is a heart attack. A person may be fine one moment, but having a life-threatening medical emergency mere minutes later, requiring emergency medical attention. While they may seem less scary than acute ones, chronic diseases are a greater burden on patients and the U.S. healthcare system.

Is marijuana a chronic disease?

Marijuana is increasingly being prescribed to treat a variety of chronic illnesses. 8  In fact, advocates cite dozens of symptoms ranging from pain to depression to panic attacks that can be treated and managed with medical marijuana. Research is mostly anecdotal in nature, however, so your best bet is to talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of using medical marijuana for your specific condition.

What are the most common health problems?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems. 2 

Can antidepressants cause anxiety?

Antidepressants/Anti-Anxiety Medication. Many people with chronic illness become clinically depressed or live with co-occurring anxiety as a result of the symptoms and lifestyle changes that come with chronic illness. 6  In most cases, the disease itself does not cause these mental health issues.

How long is a chronic condition?

The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics defines a chronic condition as one of 3 months' duration or longer. [G. chronos, time] Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012.

What is chronic airflow limitation?

Chronic airflow limitation has the highest morbidity rate of any significant chronic pulmonary disorder in the United States and is the second most common cause of hospital admissions. It is difficult to estimate its exact incidence because most diseases of the respiratory tract are not reportable ...

Why is blood gas analysis important?

Blood gas analysis is an excellent guide in determining the need for initiating oxygen therapy and for monitoring dosage. Patient Education. As with all chronic diseases that require long-term planning and management, patient education is of primary importance in successful execution of the plan.

How can we prevent cigarette smoking?

Prevention is best accomplished through education of the public about the hazards of cigarette smoking and air pollution and the need for early detection and prompt treatment of respiratory disorders that could become chronic in nature.

Is chronic illness permanent?

Lasting for a long time. A chronic disorder may be mild or severe but will usually involve some long-term or permanent organic change in the body. From the Greek chronos , time.

Can sinusitis be treated with surgery?

A. For chronic or recurring sinusitis, referral to an otolaryngologist may be indicated for more specialist assessment and treatment, which may include na sal surgery. However, for most patients the surgical approach is not superior to appropriate medical treatment.

What is lung rehabilitation?

In general, treatment is concerned with restoring and maintaining existing lung function, relieving symptoms, and planning a program of rehabilitation tailored to accommodate the individual patient's physiologic needs, physical stamina, vocational needs, lifestyle, and personality.

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General Definitions

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Most illnesses can be categorized as acute or chronic. These terms can suggest the types of treatment required, how long treatment can be expected to last, and if treatment is appropriate. Acutedoes not mean new, although many newly diagnosed diseases present with acute symptoms. Nor does it mean that sympto…
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Phases of Illness

  • An acute or chronic diagnosis is not necessarily fixed. An acute condition can sometimes become chronic, while a chronic condition may suddenly present with acute symptoms. Certain infections, for example, will progress from an acute phase (in which symptoms appear and resolve after the initial exposure) to a chronic phase (in which the infection persists, but progresses less aggressi…
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Where Definitions Fall Short

  • As tidy as the definitions may seem—six months or more for chronic versus less than six months for acute—these timeframes in no way suggest what you may be faced with if diagnosed with an acute or chronic illness. After all, an acute bout of the flu does not compare to an acute hepatitis C infection. Neither does HIV (a chronic infection that can be controlled over a lifetime with antir…
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Clearing Up The Confusion

  • The seemingly random ways in which these terms are applied can often create confusion in a patient's expectations. For example, can cancer truly be considered chronic when only a few types (such as multiple myeloma) are able to be managed chronically? Should a traumatic injury like a broken leg be considered acute even if it fits within the broader definition of the term? In the end…
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