Re: Primary vs Secondary

[Guest guest]

Secondary - produced by a primary cause. In some diseases if the

primary cause is removed than the secondary disease clears up, but not

always. Also, the primary disease may not be able to be removed or

treated.

The way it would be worded in the medical field is something like this.

Cirrohsis of the liver secondary to primary sclerosising cholangitis.

Cirrohsis of the liver secondary to alcoholism

Alcoholism is the primary cause of the cirrohsis. If the person quits

drinking alcohol the cirrohsis still remains.

Anemia secondary to GI bleed.

Stop the GI bleed (the primary reason for anemia) and the anemia

is " cured " too.

There are times when the Doctors know what caused the Sclerosing

Cholangitis like in pt's with HIV. When they know the primary cause of

the SC than SC becomes a secondary disease due to HIV.