Complicazione

Complicazione is an Italian noun meaning the act or result of complicating, or something that makes a situation more intricate, difficult, or problematic. It can refer to an increase in complexity in various domains or to an event that introduces unforeseen difficulties. The term derives from Latin complicatio, from complicare, to fold together.

In medicine, a complication (complicazione) is a new health problem that arises during the course of a disease or as a result of medical treatment, not part of the original condition. Complications can be infectious, such as pneumonia after influenza, or involve organ dysfunction, thromboembolism, or adverse drug effects. They are important for prognosis and management, and their identification relies on clinical monitoring. Not every adverse event is a complication; a complication implies a causal or temporal relationship with the initial illness or intervention.

In other contexts, complicazione can denote a factor that adds difficulty to a matter, such as a legal or administrative obstacle, or a twist in a narrative that increases tension or complexity. In philosophy and logic, it can reflect the introduction of additional contributing conditions that affect reasoning or outcomes.

The word is common in Italian medical, scientific, and literary usage. Related forms include complicare (to complicate) and complicato (complicated). Synonyms and nuances vary by domain, with espressioni appropriate to technical language or everyday speech.