dictionary

Aetiology

Etiology, or aetiology, consists of the study and research of the causes of a given phenomenon. In the medical field, in particular, the aetiology investigates the factors that can intervene in the origin of diseases, studying their importance and the possible relationships of interdependence. In many cases, in fact, diseases do not have a single cause, but a "multiple" or "multifactor" aetiology; in practice, this means that multiple causal agents (or etiological agents ) concur with the origin and evolution of the same.

Typical pathologies with multifactorial aetiology are the so-called "wellness diseases", such as type II diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis and their relative complications (ischemic heart disease, intermittent claudication, peripheral neuropathy, etc.). More rarely the aetiology is single and well defined; this is the case, for example, of genetic anomalies, poisoning or infectious diseases, which can however find more or less fertile ground in relation to the general state of health of the organism (immune defenses, nutritional status, stress, etc.) and to factors external (climate, overcrowding, poor or excessive hygiene, etc.).