- "The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants."
Study of disorders that can affect the respiratory system as a whole, including sleep apnea, respiratory failure, and respiratory distress syndrome.
Anatomy of the respiratory system: An overview of the respiratory system and its various parts, including the nose, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and alveoli.
Physiology of respiration: An understanding of how the respiratory system functions, including gas exchange, the role of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, and the control of breathing.
Respiratory infections: An overview of common respiratory infections, such as the flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis, as well as their causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A group of lung disorders, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, that cause breathing difficulties and are often associated with smoking and other environmental factors.
Asthma: A chronic lung condition that causes inflammation and constriction of the airways, leading to breathing difficulties and wheezing.
Lung Cancer: A cancer that develops in the lungs and can cause a range of symptoms, including coughing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and fatigue.
Pulmonary embolism: A blood clot that blocks a blood vessel in the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and other symptoms.
Sleep apnea: A sleep disorder that causes interrupted breathing during sleep, leading to snoring and other symptoms and potentially increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Respiratory failure: A condition in which the lungs are unable to provide enough oxygen to the body, leading to shortness of breath, fatigue, and other symptoms.
Respiratory distress syndrome: A common condition in premature infants, in which the lungs are not fully developed and cannot function properly, leading to breathing difficulties and other complications.
Asthma: Asthma is a medical condition that affects the airways in your lungs. It causes your airways to become inflamed, narrow and produce extra mucus, which can make breathing difficult.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a progressive and chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Bronchitis: Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to your lungs. It usually happens because of a cold or other respiratory infections.
Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
Pulmonary Embolism: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in your lungs. It usually happens when a blood clot travels from your legs or other parts of your body to your lungs.
Lung Cancer: Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
Pleural Effusion: Pleural effusion is the buildup of excess fluid in the space between the layers of tissues (pleura) that surround the lungs.
Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep.
Cystic Fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs. It causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the airways, making it difficult to breathe.
Hyperventilation: Hyperventilation is a condition in which you breathe faster and deeper than normal. It can cause dizziness, tingling, and shortness of breath.
Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. It can also affect other parts of the body.
Sarcoidosis: Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that affects many organs in the body, including the lungs. It causes the formation of small clusters of inflammatory cells, called granulomas, in various parts of the body.
Chronic Rhinitis: Chronic rhinitis is a long-lasting inflammation of the nasal cavity and sinuses.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and chronic lung disease where the lungs' tissues become thick and stiff, making it increasingly harder to breathe.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic condition that makes it harder for your lungs to work properly.
- "The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, the environment in which it lives, and its evolutionary history."
- "In land animals, the respiratory surface is internalized as linings of the lungs."
- "Gas exchange in the lungs occurs in millions of small air sacs; in mammals and reptiles these are called alveoli."
- "In birds they are known as atria."
- "These microscopic air sacs have a very rich blood supply, thus bringing the air into close contact with the blood."
- "These air sacs communicate with the external environment via a system of airways, or hollow tubes, of which the largest is the trachea."
- "The trachea branches in the middle of the chest into the two main bronchi."
- "These enter the lungs where they branch into progressively narrower secondary and tertiary bronchi that branch into numerous smaller tubes, the bronchioles."
- "In birds, the bronchioles are termed parabronchi."
- "Air has to be pumped from the environment into the alveoli or atria by the process of breathing which involves the muscles of respiration."
- "In most fish, and a number of other aquatic animals, the respiratory system consists of gills, which are either partially or completely external organs, bathed in the watery environment."
- "Gas exchange takes place in the gills which consist of thin or very flat filaments and lamellae which expose a very large surface area of highly vascularized tissue to the water."
- "Insects have respiratory systems with very simple anatomical features, and in amphibians even the skin plays a vital role in gas exchange."
- "The respiratory system in plants includes anatomical features such as stomata, that are found in various parts of the plant."