What causes the disease? A bacteria? Bad genetics? Poor health choices, like smoking?
Historical understanding of the disease/illness:
When was the disease “discovered,” meaning when was it first written about in medical literature?
Who first studied it and why? Did it impact their family and therefore their interest peaked? Was it impacting the military? Was it a random conclusion?
What causes the disease? A bacteria? Bad genetics? Poor health choices, like smoking?
What are the symptoms? What would lead a person to say, “Well, that’s not normal, I should probably see a physician?”
How is it diagnosed? Is there a battery of tests? Is it a simple physical exam?
What is the prognosis? Meaning, once your patient has disease X, how long do they live? With their lives be normal just a little more complicated? Is this going to change the way they live and work?
Finally and most importantly: explain the pathophysiology of the disease. Tell us, in detail what in the body’s physiology is going wrong that is causing the problem.
