Respiratory Disorders

In humans the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles. Molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide are passively exchanged, by diffusion, between the gaseous external environment and the blood. This exchange process occurs in the alveolar region of the lungs.

The respiratory system can be subdivided into an upper respiratory tract and a lower respiratory tract based on anatomical features. The upper respiratory tract includes the nasal passages, pharynx and the larynx, while the lower respiratory tract is comprised of the trachea, the primary bronchi and lungs.

The primary function of the respiratory system is to supply the blood with oxygen in order for the blood to deliver oxygen to all parts of the body. The respiratory system does this through breathing. When we breathe, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This exchange of gases is the respiratory system's means of getting oxygen to the blood.

The respiratory system lies dormant in the human fetus during pregnancy. At birth, the respiratory system becomes fully functional upon exposure to air, although some lung development and growth continues throughout childhood. Pre-term birth can lead to infants with under-developed lungs.

Smoking and air pollution are two common causes of respiratory problems.

Disorders of the respiratory system can be classified into four general areas:

Obstructive conditions (e.g., emphysema, bronchitis, asthma attacks)

Restrictive conditions (e.g., fibrosis, sarcoidosis, alveolar damage, pleural effusion)

Vascular diseases (e.g., pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension)

Infectious, environmental and other "diseases" (e.g., pneumonia, tuberculosis, asbestosis, particulate pollutants): Coughing is of major importance, as it is the body's main method to remove dust, mucus, saliva, and other debris from the lungs. Inability to cough can lead to infection. Deep breathing exercises may help keep finer structures of the lungs clear from particulate matter, etc.

The respiratory tract is constantly exposed to microbes due to the extensive surface area, which is why the respiratory system includes many mechanisms to defend itself and prevent pathogens from entering the body.

Common Respiratory Disorders Include:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - Irritation of the lungs can lead to asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis and people can develop two or three of these together.

Chronic Bronchitis - Any irritant reaching the bronchi and bronchioles will stimulate an increased secretion of mucus. In chronic bronchitis the air passages become clogged with mucus, and this leads to a persistent cough.

Emphysema - The delicate walls of the alveoli break down, reducing the gas exchange area of the lungs. The condition develops slowly and is seldom a direct cause of death.

Asthma - Periodic constriction of the bronchi and bronchioles makes it more difficult to breathe.

Pneumonia - An infection of the alveoli. It can be caused by many kinds of both bacteria and viruses. Tissue fluids accumulate in the alveoli reducing the surface area exposed to air. If enough alveoli are affected, the patient may need supplemental oxygen.

Disorders of the respiratory system are usually treated internally by a pulmonologist or respiratory physician.

Asthma Allergies Bronchial

Further Information Regarding Respiratory Disorders

Triple Therapy Halves Exacerbations in Moderate-to-severe COPD
Patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can benefit from triple therapy that includes a long-acting β-agonist (LABA), an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and an anti-muscarinic agent, according to researchers in Germany.

Healing Damaged Lungs
Some 200,000 Americans suffer some form of sudden, acute lung injury (ALI) each year, in which inflammation has spread across both lungs, making breathing difficult and starving the body of much-needed oxygen. Among them are people with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by infection, the most severe form of ALI.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) a contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness first appeared in China in November 2002. Since then, the disease has spread worldwide, infecting thousands of people and resulting in more than 800 deaths.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - Causes Symptoms and Treatment
COPD involves two diseases that are related; bronchitis and emphysema. Both bronchitis and emphysema involve a chronic obstruction of airflow out of a person's lungs which is commonly both permanent and progressive over time. Asthma; another pulmonary disease involving obstruction of airflow out of the lungs, is unlike chronic bronchitis or emphysema in that asthma is commonly reversible.

Supervised Exercise Therapy Improvements in COPD Symptoms
Those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often complain that exercise is exhausting. New England Journal of Medicine reports that supervised exercise through pulmonary rehabilitation can actually reduce their feelings of breathlessness, increase their tolerance for exercise and improve quality of life.

Global Warming Hotter Days More Respiratory Problems
High summer temperatures, pushed higher by global climate change, may bring with them a spike in hospitalizations for respiratory problems. As climate change has gone from a scientific theory to an accepted and encroaching reality, more extreme weather, including hotter summers, is anticipated around the planet. But the secondary effects of climate change are also coming into sharper focus.

ARDS Mortality Rate Unchanged Since 1994
Mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not fallen since 1994, according to a comprehensive review of major studies that assessed ARDS deaths. This disappointing finding contradicts the common wisdom that ARDS mortality has been in steady decline.

Air Pollutants Affect the Respiratory and Cardiovascular System
The quality of the Air we breathe affects the quality of our health. Air quality has an impact on the health of our lungs and the entire respiratory system. In addition to oxygen, the air contains other substances such as pollutants, which can be harmful to health. The inhalation of those pollutants may have harmful effects on the lungs and other organs of the body.

Damage Caused to the Respiratory System by Pollution
The long-term effects of air pollution include serious diseases like cancer. The highly polluted city air slowly metamorphoses our healthy and pink colored lung tissues into darkened particles of smog, dust, and other pollutants, making the lungs more vulnerable to infection. The highly sensitive respiratory system can be damaged in a number of ways.