First off let’s break down the terms so we know exactly what we’re dealing with. Terminal illness is a medical term used to label a disease that cannot be defeated or sufficiently treated and that the death of the patient is to be within a short period of time. Usually a patient is regarded to be terminally ill when the life expectancy is assessed to be six months or less, with the assumption that the disease will run its normal course. This six month standard is completely arbitrary.
The term terminal illness is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer or advanced heart disease than for trauma.
Next we’ll tackle disease. A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the human body, with specific symptoms and signs. It can be brought about by external factors like an infectious disease, or it can be instigated by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune diseases. Disease is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, and distress.
There are four main types of disease: Pathogenic disease, deficiency disease, hereditary disease, and physiological disease. Diseases can also be classified as communicable and non-communicable disease.
Some terminal diseases include the later stages of the majority of cancers, especially if left untreated, AIDS (HIV has to develop into AIDS before it can become terminal and even then, with the right treatment life can be prolonged far beyond the arbitrary six months), and smallpox (although this is considered to have been completely eradicated, same with bubonic plague). Other examples include H5N1 (Avian Bird Flu), chronic heart disease, renal failure, diabetes can be fatal if not treated, hepatitis C, malaria and radiation poisoning.
The term terminal illness is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer or advanced heart disease than for trauma.
Next we’ll tackle disease. A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the human body, with specific symptoms and signs. It can be brought about by external factors like an infectious disease, or it can be instigated by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune diseases. Disease is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, and distress.
There are four main types of disease: Pathogenic disease, deficiency disease, hereditary disease, and physiological disease. Diseases can also be classified as communicable and non-communicable disease.
Some terminal diseases include the later stages of the majority of cancers, especially if left untreated, AIDS (HIV has to develop into AIDS before it can become terminal and even then, with the right treatment life can be prolonged far beyond the arbitrary six months), and smallpox (although this is considered to have been completely eradicated, same with bubonic plague). Other examples include H5N1 (Avian Bird Flu), chronic heart disease, renal failure, diabetes can be fatal if not treated, hepatitis C, malaria and radiation poisoning.
