physiologic
Meaning of physiologic: The word that marks a finding as normal working rather than illness, which is often the whole question a test is asked to settle.
Definition of physiologic
Physiologic means relating to the normal functioning of the body's organs, tissues and systems. It contrasts with anatomic, which refers to structure, and with pathologic, which refers to disease. Applied to a finding, it says that what was observed falls within the range of ordinary function, even if the value itself looks unusual at first glance.
How does it compare with the neighboring words?
| Word | What it points to | Example of use |
|---|---|---|
| Physiologic | Normal function | A faster heart rate during exercise |
| Anatomic | Structure and position | The location of a tumor within an organ |
| Pathologic | Disease or damage | Scarring in the liver |
| Pharmacologic | An effect produced by a drug | A dose higher than the body would ever make itself |
The same measurement can be physiologic in one setting and pathologic in another, which is why context is part of the reading. A resting pulse that would be unremarkable in a trained athlete would be investigated in someone else. A raised hormone level in pregnancy is expected rather than abnormal.
Where is the word used in practice?
It appears wherever a finding needs to be labeled as normal working rather than dysfunction. Newborn jaundice in the first days of life is called physiologic when it follows the usual pattern and settles on its own. A small amount of fluid around a joint or in the abdomen is described as physiologic when the quantity is what would be expected. A physiologic dose of a hormone is one matching what the body itself would produce, as opposed to the larger pharmacologic dose given to suppress inflammation. Physiologic age describes a person's overall functional condition, which can sit well above or below the number of years since birth and is used when that number is a poor guide.
Is physiologic the same as physiological?
They mean the same thing. Physiologic is the shorter form favored in North American medical writing, while physiological is more usual in British usage and in general English. Neither carries a distinct technical meaning, so the choice is a matter of house style rather than of content.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The elevated heart rate was considered a physiologic response to exercise rather than a sign of underlying disease.
Good to know
A physiologic finding falls within the range of normal function, which is what separates it from a pathologic one, even though the two can produce similar-looking results and the same value can be physiologic in one context and abnormal in another.
Word origin
Where “physiologic” comes from
Formed from physio-, from Greek physis, meaning nature, and -logic, from Greek logos, meaning study or reason.