Talk:Comorbidity

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[edit] Does

Does "comorbidity" simply mean the presence of more than one disease / condition OR does "comorbidity" imply that the diseases / conditions are more likely to occur together than would be the case if the causes are independent? [It simply means the presence of more than one disease or condition at the same time, as in the example given below of a diabetic who suffers a spinal cord injury.] Is there an implication that one "causes" (or shares a common cause) with the other? [No]

Is the answer different for medicine versus psychiatry? [No]

What determines which condition is primary and which is secondary / tertiary?

For example, if a person suffers from depression and glaucoma and is seen by a psychiatrist, then would depression be "primary" and glaucoma secondary / comorbid? Would an opthamologist reverse this? What about a GP?

I'm assuming that these conditions occur relatively independently, but would serve as a good example (i.e., be of special interest) because almost(?) all antidepressants are contraindicated for those with glaucoma.

The presence of depression and heart disease (if I recall correctly) are correlated. Are they therefore "comorbid" (if present in the same person)? [They are comorbidities if present in the same patient at the same time regardless of whether they are "correlated." For example, diabetes is a significant comorbidity for patients with spinal injuries even though the diabetes is not directly related to the injury. It is "related" only in that 1) both are now present at same time & 2) the diabetes will be aggravated by the effects of the injury.]

The definition in the article needs to distinguish between comorbidities, which are pre-existing secondary conditions, & complications, which arise as a result of the primary disease or injury. Bold text

[edit] not just medical

Can we expand this to inculde the use of this word outside of medicine? futurebird 21:51, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sounds morbid

You must admit "co-morbid" sounds rather morbid to the layman... Jidanni 06:09, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

If you're implying a title change, maybe something less morbid will redirect here but that's what it's called so changing the title would be unencyclopedic. JordanZed 14:22, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

It should sound morbid: the whole point is morbidity (which means disease, not dying). WhatamIdoing (talk) 07:08, 22 January 2008 (UTC)