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Secondary
prevention aims to cure patients and reduce the more serious consequences of
disease through early diagnosis and treatment. It is directed at the period
between onset of disease and the time of diagnosis, and aims to reduce the
prevalence of disease. Secondary prevention can be applied only to disease
with a natural history including an early period when the disease is easily
identified and treated, so that progression to a more serious stage can be
stopped. The purpose of tertiary prevention is to reduce the progress or
complications of established disease and is an important aspect of
therapeutic and rehabilitative medicine. |