Comorbidity Interactions Using Diabetes as an Example of a Disease That Can Affect the Diagnosis, Treatment, or Prognosis of a Second Disease
Impact on Clinical Activity | Examples |
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Diagnosis | |
Made easier by coexisting disease | Most diabetic patients undergo regular fundus examinations, making the diagnosis of unrelated retinal disease, such as age-related macular retinopathy, more likely |
Made more difficulty by a coexisting disease | Diabetic patients may have altered pain sensation, thereby interfering with and making more difficult the diagnosis of coronary heart disease |
Treatment | |
Indicated for existing and coexisting disease | Physical exercise as recommended for a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can have a beneficial effect on diabetes |
Antagonistic effect on coexisting disease | Corticosteroids prescribed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the same patient will have an antagonistic effect on the diabetes treatment |
Prognosis | |
Positively modified by a coexisting disease | Mortality associated with diabetes is increased in the presence of peripheral vascular disease |
Not affected by a coexisting disease | Diabetes is unaffected by the presence of hypothyroidism |