deterioration

Deterioration is a term now commonly used in health care, to describe worsening of a patient's condition. It is often used as a shortened form of 'deterioration not recognised or not acted upon'. Much work to reduce harm from deterioration has been undertaken by the National Patient Safety Agency. Deterioration, from Latin deteriorare "to make worse", from deterior "lower, worse", may refer to:

• Physical wear
• Degeneration