A pre-existing disease, disorder, or health condition that contributes to a person’s current health state or affects the risk, severity, or treatment of another condition.
An underlying condition may be chronic or, less commonly, an existing acute condition. For example, diabetes can be an underlying condition that affects susceptibility to complications from an infection.
The term is contextual rather than a specific medical diagnosis; what constitutes an underlying condition depends on the health problem being considered.
QUICK FACT
An underlying condition does not necessarily cause obvious symptoms at the time another illness occurs.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Risk factor: something that increases the likelihood of developing a condition but is not necessarily a disease or pre-existing condition itself.
SEE ALSO
