Pulmonology

Asthma is known as a chronic inflammation disorder of the airways and can be divided as atopic and non-atopic. “Atopic asthma also known as extrinsic asthma is triggered by the environment.” (Barnes, 1996) Atopic asthma is the most common form of asthma. Atopic asthma causes inflammation and is mediated by systemic IgE production. Non-atopic asthma is considered intrinsic asthma which is less common. Non-atopic asthma is inflammation and or constriction of the airways that is not caused by…

Measurement of diffusing capacity (DLCO) One of the most clinically lung function test is diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO). In addition it's known as the transfer factor of the lung for CO (TLCO). This test measures the capability of the lungs to transmit gas from inhaled air to the pulmonary capillaries in the red blood cells and to determine the efficiency of the lungs to exchange gases. The indication of using this test is to recognize the cause of hypoxemia and…

The effect of different breathing patterns on alveolar gas compositions. Introduction Ventilation is the process where the exchange of oxygen (O2) from the air into the lungs and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the blood into the external environment (Silverthorn, 2013). Respiration is essential for all living organisms to survive. Breathing is part of physiological respiration and is required to sustain life. Our lungs are composed of small sacs called alveoli which facilitate the movement of oxygen…

I am writing today about a noncommunicable disease that affects 26 million Americans. The mortality rate of this disease is approximately 4,000 per year and causes almost 14 million visits to the Doctors office and 1.75 million emergency room visits. This disease is called asthma, also known to many as reactive airway disease. The reason I chose this particular illness is because of the impact it has had on my brother’s life since he was diagnosed at the age of 3. Asthma is a chronic…

Mechanical Ventilator is a life support system that mechanically assist patient in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It can also be called as artificial respiration system. Mechanical ventilation can help or support complete breathing, depending on the patient’s condition. Anyone who have problem in breathing normally, or having chronic diseases may require mechanical ventilator. It also includes patients suffering from spinal cord injury, stroke or any other disorders. Rapid growth in…

Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS) remains as one to the major causes of neonatal respiratory distress, which may lead to respiratory failure and death in the infant. This syndrome is the defined as “respiratory distress in an infant born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) with characteristic radiological changes and whose symptoms cannot be otherwise explained” (T. E. Wiswell, J. M. Tuggle, and B. S. Turner 1). About 8–20% of all deliveries have been detected with meconium-…

TREATMENT OPTIONS: Treatment for pneumonia is to cure the infection and prevent complications now and in the future. People who have community-acquired pneumonia (most common type of pneumonia) can usually be treated at home with medication. Although most symptoms die down in a few days/weeks, the feeling of tiredness can go on in the next month or so. Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pneumonia. Also health and age factors help determine the right treatment. The…

Powerlab 4 Questions When taking our subject’s different capacities, we found that her inspiratory capacity (IC) was 5.58 L, vital capacity (VC) was 5.85 L, functional residual capacity (FRC) was 1.74 L, and her total lung capacity (TLC) was 7.32 L. When comparing these numbers to the averages for a woman’s capacity we find that: her IC was more than double of that of an average woman (5.58 L compared to 2.4 L); her vital capacity was greater than average as well (5.85 compared to 3.1 L).…

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, which affects the protective lining of the cavities of lungs, heart, abdomen etc, called mesothelium. There is a common tendency to get confused between mesothelioma and lung cancer. But the former infects the lining whereas the latter affects the lung itself. Mesothelioma patients are those unfortunate people who have inhaled in asbestos particles for long durations of time. Malignant mesothelioma is of three types. Pleural mesothelioma is the…

Hippocrates believes that dyspnoea develop from “phlegm” transiting from brain to the heart; however, it actually comprises of an intricate interaction of physiological, psychosocial, social, and environmental factors (1). Dyspnoea is known as difficulty of breathing or suffocation which originated from the Greek word “dus” which means difficult and “pnoe” which is breathing (2). It can be define as a term used to distinguish subjective experience of breathing discomfort that varies in intensity…