Iatrogenic, iatrogenic causes

Iatrogen is an adjective referred to any action performed with the purpose of treating, preventing or diagnosing.

In common parlance, however, the iatrogenic attribute is reserved for pathologies, complications, side effects and damage arising directly or indirectly due to the carer's operations, understood as a person (doctor, pharmacist, psychologist, nurse, physiotherapist, etc.) or therapeutic remedy (treatments, drugs, supplements, homeopathic remedies etc.). Iatrogenesis, in fact, derives from the Greek iatròs (doctor) and gennan (generate).

The iatrogenic damage commonly associated with the side effects of a drug, or its improper administration, can also be linked to interactions with other drugs or with particular supplements.

The undesirable effects that the health intervention brings to the patient are generally involuntary, or in any case unavoidable. For example, a therapy can be undertaken in the awareness that the potential benefits will be superior to the negative iatrogenic effects; a striking example is given by anticancer chemotherapy.