Which term refers to an abnormal condition of the blood, including its pathologic changes?

The term "dyscrasia" is used to refer to an abnormal condition of the blood that is characterized by pathological changes. This term encompasses a variety of blood disorders, which can involve alterations in the blood’s cellular elements or compositions, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Dyscrasias can include conditions like anemia, leukopenia, or thrombocytopenia, and help in categorizing disorders that disrupt normal blood function.

In contrast, cardiomyopathy specifically relates to diseases of the heart muscle, influencing its size, shape, and function but does not pertain to blood conditions. Hypoxia refers to inadequate oxygen supply to tissues, which can have various systemic effects but is not specifically an abnormality of the blood itself. Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and underlying tissues, which is also unrelated to the pathology of blood. These distinctions emphasize why dyscrasia is the correct choice when identifying a term that describes an abnormal blood condition with pathological changes.