disease course

Disease course describes how a condition develops over time: how quickly symptoms arise, whether they worsen, stay the same, or improve, and what stages a disease goes through. With one disease, this is predictable and follows a set pattern, with another it can vary greatly from person to person. Doctors use knowledge about disease course to determine when additional testing or treatment is needed and to explain to patients and loved ones what to expect. In incurable diseases, disease course is often an important topic, because it provides insight into what the disease can mean for daily life in the long term.