Decompensation

As decompensation (from Latin decompensatio =, imbalance ',' derailment ' ) is called in medicine the state of a patient when the body no longer compensate for the malfunction of one organ system, that is able to compensate, so the symptoms of organ failure openly occur days. The decompensation is often preceded by a phase of compensated failure, while still there are no or only minor symptoms.

Colloquially and in medical jargon decompensation is occasionally also used in a figurative sense: "Now he is completely decompensated " can also mean that a person psychologically striking is held.

Examples

• Cardiac decompensation: Congestive heart failure is decompensated when water retention (edema ) or shortness of breath (dyspnea ) already occur at rest. Despite existing dysfunction of the heart in the compensated heart failure, however, there are no symptoms or they occur only at higher exercise.
• Renal decompensation: Renal insufficiency is compensated if renal dysfunction is indeed measurable, but still does not cause significant symptoms. From the decompensation occurs when there is significant water retention in the body, or other symptoms by the accumulation of uric substances.
• Decompensation of Tinnitus: A chronic tinnitus is considered to be compensated if the noise occurring not affect the daily life of the patient. In the opposite case one speaks of a decompensated, so disturbing tinnitus.
• Neurological decompensation: reading disabilities or other mental difficulties come to light after no compensation by other brain areas is possible.
• Mental decompensation
• Acute decompensation in liver failure
• Vascular decompensation: The local vascular regulation comes to a halt when there is inadequate blood flow to organs.