Exacerbation

Exacerbation is doing something which makes a negative state become much worse. For instance, a patients’ depression symptoms were exacerbated by his father’s death. Another example is “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation”. A person with COPD experiences shortness of breath and wheezing after engaging in physical activities; however, during exacerbations, he needs to catch his breath even if he has just walked for several steps, feels chest tightness more frequently, and manifests significant weight loss.

Add flashcard Cite Random