Mechanism
Mechanism (Medicine)
Mechanism (pronounced: mek-uh-niz-uhm) in the context of medicine refers to the series of steps or processes that lead to a particular outcome or effect in the body.
Etymology
The term "mechanism" originates from the Latin word "mechanismus", which means "a mechanical contrivance; in medical parlance, it refers to the sequence of events that lead to a particular outcome.
Definition
In medicine, a mechanism is a comprehensive description of how a particular process or system operates. This can include the biochemical reactions that occur in the body, the physiological responses to stimuli, or the pathophysiological changes that occur in disease states.
Related Terms
- Pathophysiology: The study of the disordered physiological processes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with a disease or injury.
- Biochemistry: The branch of science concerned with the chemical and physicochemical processes and substances that occur within living organisms.
- Physiology: The branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.
- Disease: A particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not due to any immediate external injury.
Mechanism in Different Medical Contexts
- Pharmacology: In pharmacology, the mechanism of action (MOA) refers to the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its pharmacological effect.
- Pathology: In pathology, the mechanism of disease or pathogenesis is the biological mechanism that leads to a diseased state.
- Physiology: In physiology, a mechanism is the means by which a physical or biochemical process is carried out in the body.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mechanism
- Wikipedia's article - Mechanism
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