Põhihaiguse

Põhihaigus, in Estonian medical terminology, refers to the main disease or primary underlying condition that explains a patient's current clinical presentation. It is the principal diagnosis that guides initial treatment and management. The term is commonly used in patient records, hospital admissions, and clinical studies to distinguish the main illness from other health problems that a patient may have.

Põhihaigus is differentiated from concomitant conditions and from complications. Concomitant or secondary illnesses (kaasahaigused, komorbiditeed) are additional health problems present alongside the primary disease. Complications (tüsistused) are adverse developments that arise as a result of the primary disease or its treatment. In many cases a patient has several health issues, but the põhihaigus remains the central focus of care.

In clinical documentation and medical coding, the põhihaigus is typically listed as the principal diagnosis, with secondary diagnoses noted for other conditions. International classification systems such as ICD-10 or ICD-11 are used to code both the põhihaigus and related diagnoses. Correct identification of the põhihaigus supports prognosis estimation, treatment planning, and resource allocation.

Examples illustrate the concept: a patient admitted with pneumonia may have pneumonia as the põhihaigus, while conditions like COPD or diabetes are secondary health problems. In oncology, the primary tumor is often considered the põhihaigus, with metastases or treatment-related effects treated as part of disease progression or complications.

The term may vary slightly in non-medical contexts, but in healthcare the põhihaigus denotes the central disease driving the clinical picture and care strategy.