Complication (medicine)
1479393
218893793
2008-06-12T17:23:40Z
RelativeRisk5
7296842
/* Examples of complications */added prostatectomy complications
'''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 [[pathology|pathological]] changes, become widespread throughout the body or affect other organ systems. A medical treatment, such as [[medication|drugs]] or [[surgery]] may produce [[adverse effect (medicine)|adverse effects]] and/or produce new health problem(s) by itself. A new disease may also appear as a complication to a previous existing disease. 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, [[senescence|age]], health status, [[immune system]] condition, etc. complications may arise more easily. Complications affect adversely the [[prognosis]] of a disease. [[Non-invasive (medical)|Non-invasive]] and [[minimally invasive]] medical procedures usually favor less complications in comparison to [[invasive (medical)|invasive]] ones.
==Examples of complications==
* Generalized [[septicemia]] (infection of the blood) may occur as a complication of an infected [[wound]] or [[abscess]]
* Allergic [[Shock (medical)|shock]] can be a reaction to several kinds of [[anesthesia|anesthetic]]s, 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 [[antibiotic]]s
* [[Diabetes mellitus]] may present a series of complications in an advanced or more severe stage, such as [[gangrene]], [[diabetic foot]], [[blindness]], [[infection]]s, 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 valve]]s
* [[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 the totally the opposite effect of the intended purpose of the drug. As in "[[benzodiazepines]]" (pronounced [ˌbenzəʊdaɪˈæzəpiːnz], or "benzos" for short) a class of psychoactive drugs considered a minor [[tranquilizers]] with varying hypnotic, sedative, [[anxiolytic]], [[anticonvulsant]], and muscle relaxant drug that may create exactly the opposite effect (paradoxical reaction) on susceptible individuals. <ref>[http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/489358 Paradoxical Reactions to Benzodiazepines]</ref>
* [[Erectile dysfunction]] and [[urinary incontinence]] are prevalent to [[prostatectomy]].
==Related topic==
* [[Adverse effect (medicine)]]
* [[Diagnosis]]
* [[Iatrogenesis]]
* [[Nocebo]]
* [[Placebo (origins of technical term)]]
* [[Prognosis]]
* [[Sequela]]
* [[Late effect]]
==References==
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[[Category:Medical terms]]
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