When treating a patient whose signs and symptoms go undiagnosed due to an unknown etiology, you refer to his or her condition as _____ in origin

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a patient's signs and symptoms cannot be attributed to a known cause, the condition is referred to as idiopathic. The term iatrogenic refers to a condition that is caused by medical treatment, while multifactorial means that there are multiple factors contributing to the condition. Acquired simply means that the patient developed the condition rather than being born with it. The term "idiopathic" is used to describe a medical condition that has an unknown cause or origin. This is different from an iatrogenic condition which is caused by medical treatment, a multifactorial condition which has multiple causes, or an acquired condition which is developed after birth.

When Treating a Patient Whose Signs and Symptoms Go Undiagnosed