Vikruti is termed as the abnormal state and prakruti is termed as the normal state of mind and body. The main aim of Ayurveda is to maintain the health as well as regain the health of a person suffering from a disease. The health of a diseased person or in other words the diseased state of the body is termed as Vikruti. So, when a doctor treats a particular disease he is treating the Vikruti of a person. 

For treating vikruti, the following points are considered, like reason or etiology of the disease, the state of doshas, the state of the Dushyas (the dhatus that are vitiated by the dosha), desha (habitat of the person and also the place of the disease), kala (seasonal time), bala (strength of the patient and disease) and symptoms. Without taking all these things into consideration, the confirmation of the diseased state of the body is not possible. 

So, while considering the health of a diseased person, one should keep in mind that the final diagnosis of the disease is made after scrutinizing all the above points. Apart from these, Agni (that is the digestive fire), Satva (immunity), age is also considered. The entire procedure is called as case taking and the knowledge thus gained is called as the Vikruti vigyan or knowledge of the diseased state of a person. For the accurate treatment of the disease, accuracy of the Vikruti vigyan is necessary. 

In Ayurveda, the vikruti of a disease is further divided into two types namely prakrutik disease and vikrutik disease. In a person when the doshas responsible for the constitution of the person cause the disease, say for example in a vata person vata dosha cause the disease due to the imbalance of vata dosha then the disease caused is termed a prakrutijanya vyadhi (disease) and when the imbalance in the pitta dosha cause the disease in a vata person it is termed as vikrutijanya vyadhi.

The interesting fact about the disease is that vikrutijanya vyadhi can be cured easily rather than the prakrutijanya vyadhi. 

The term vikruti is also used in the reference of arishta (fatal signs). Thus vikruti is used in a wide context and is specifically related to disease and the diseased state of an individual.