CHRONIC (MEDICINE)

In medicine,a 'chronic disease' is a disease that is long-lasting or recurrent. The term ''chronic'' describes the course of the disease, or its rate of onset and development. A chronic course is distinguished from a recurrent course; recurrent diseases relapse repeatedly, with periods of remission in between. As an adjective, ''chronic'' can refer to a persistent and lasting medical condition. ''Chronicity'' is usually applied to a condition that lasts more than three months.
Diabetes is a good example.
The definition of a disease or causative condition may depend on the disease being chronic, and the term will often appear in the description:

★ Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

★ Chronic fatigue syndrome

★ Chronic hepatitis

★ Chronic leukemia

★ Chronic arthritis

★ POTS

Contents

Chronic as a metaphor

See also

Chronic as a metaphor

The term "chronic" is often used as a figure of speech, comparing a problem to a chronic disease; one of the more common uses is chronic inflation (in macroeconomics).

See also

★ Acute (medical)

★ Homeopathic theory of chronic diseases

★ Chronic pain

★ Course (medicine)

★ Disease management (health)