"Respiratory diseases, or lung diseases, are pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange difficult in air-breathing animals."
This area focuses on the study of respiratory system diseases, including obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and other pulmonary disorders.
Anatomy of the Respiratory System: Understanding the structure of the different organs and tissues involved in respiration like the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm.
Respiratory System Embryology: Understanding the pulmonary embryology of the respiratory system includes the formation of the respiratory diverticulum, lung bud, laryngotracheal groove, and other important embryological structures.
Mechanics of Breathing: Studying the mechanics of ventilation or breathing is crucial to understand how air flows in and out of the lungs and how the movement of the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and larynx affects respiration.
Gas Exchange and Transport: Reviewing the process of gas exchange in the lungs, binding of oxygen to hemoglobin, and the release of carbon dioxide from the tissues.
Respiratory Control: Understanding how the respiratory system works in tandem with the nervous system and endocrine system, to control the rate of breathing to help maintain adequate breathing after exertion, sleep, or other activities.
Lung Development: The factors that trigger lung development and the impact of environment and genetics on the development of the lungs.
Respiratory Diseases and Disorders: Understanding common respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, and lung cancer.
Defense Mechanism of the Respiratory System: Understanding how the respiratory system defends the body against airborne pathogens and irritants.
Clinical Procedures Related to Respiratory System: Understanding the procedures like pulmonary function tests, bronchoscopy, chest x-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, lung biopsy, etc.
Respiratory System Pharmacology: The drugs used to manage different respiratory diseases and how they work.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Understanding the different therapies and techniques used to treat respiratory disorders and improve lung function.
Respiratory System Surgical Techniques: Understanding surgical interventions and their indications, such as bronchoscopic interventions, thoracotomy, lung transplant, lobectomy, etc.
Respiratory System Trauma: Understanding the types and impact of respiratory system trauma, including blunt and penetrating injury, barotrauma, and inhalation injury.
Respiratory System and Aging: Understanding the impact of aging on the respiratory system, including the decreased elasticity of the lungs, the accumulation of oxidative damage, and changes in the immune system.
Environmental and Physiological factors: Understanding how environmental and physiological factors impact the respiratory system, such as altitude, temperature, pollution, exercise, and smoking.
Asthma: A chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A progressive lung disease characterized by increasingly breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing.
Emphysema: A condition in which the air sacs in the lungs become damaged, causing shortness of breath and coughing.
Bronchitis: An inflammation of the bronchial tubes that leads to coughing, congestion, and difficulty breathing.
Pneumonia: A bacterial or viral infection that causes inflammation in the air sacs (alveoli) in one or both lungs.
Tuberculosis: A bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and causes coughing, chest pain, and weight loss.
Pulmonary edema: A condition in which excess fluid collects in the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
Lung cancer: A malignant tumor that begins in the lungs and can spread to other parts of the body.
Cystic fibrosis: A genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs, causing increased mucus production and chronic infections.
Sleep apnea: A condition in which breathing is temporarily interrupted during sleep, which can cause daytime fatigue and other health problems.
"They include conditions of the respiratory tract including the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleurae, pleural cavity, the nerves and muscles of respiration."
"Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting, such as the common cold, influenza, and pharyngitis..."
"...to life-threatening diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, acute asthma, lung cancer, and severe acute respiratory syndromes, such as COVID-19."
"Respiratory diseases can be classified in many different ways, including by the organ or tissue involved, by the type and pattern of associated signs and symptoms, or by the cause of the disease."
"The study of respiratory disease is known as pulmonology."
"A physician who specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist, a chest medicine specialist, a respiratory medicine specialist, a respirologist or a thoracic medicine specialist."
"...respiratory tract including the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleurae, pleural cavity..."
"Examples of viral respiratory diseases include the common cold and influenza."
"Examples of severe acute respiratory syndromes include COVID-19."
"...life-threatening diseases such as pulmonary embolism..."
"Respiratory diseases can be classified [...] by the type and pattern of associated signs and symptoms."
"A physician who specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist, a chest medicine specialist, a respiratory medicine specialist, a respirologist or a thoracic medicine specialist."
"...bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, acute asthma, lung cancer..."
"Examples of mild and self-limiting respiratory diseases include the common cold."
"...organs and tissues that make gas exchange difficult in air-breathing animals."
"...nerves and muscles of respiration."
"Respiratory diseases can be classified [...] by the cause of the disease."
"Examples of life-threatening respiratory diseases include pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, acute asthma, lung cancer, and severe acute respiratory syndromes such as COVID-19."
"The study of respiratory disease is known as pulmonology."