Comorbidity: The presence of co-existing or additional diseases with reference to an initial diagnosis or with reference to the index condition that is the subject of study. Comorbidity may affect the ability of affected individuals to function and also their survival; it may be used as a prognostic indicator for lengt

NIH MeSH · D015897Health Care

Comorbidity

Definition

The presence of co-existing or additional diseases with reference to an initial diagnosis or with reference to the index condition that is the subject of study. Comorbidity may affect the ability of affected individuals to function and also their survival; it may be used as a prognostic indicator for length of hospital stay, cost factors, and outcome or survival.

MeSH classification

  • N05.715.350.225
  • N06.850.490.687

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Common questions about Comorbidity

What does Comorbidity mean in medicine?
The presence of co-existing or additional diseases with reference to an initial diagnosis or with reference to the index condition that is the subject of study. Comorbidity may affect the ability of affected individuals to function and also their survival; it may be used as a prognostic indicator for length of hospital stay, cost factors, and outcome or survival. This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Comorbidity known by any other names?
Comorbidity is the canonical name in the MeSH vocabulary. There are no commonly used alternate names for this concept in the official NIH database.
Where does Comorbidity sit in the medical classification?
Comorbidity falls under the broader medical category "Health Care" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: N05.715.350.225, N06.850.490.687). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Comorbidity?
For a plain-language explanation of Comorbidity - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 22+ Indian languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about Comorbidity" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D015897) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗