BREATHE EASY:
A Guide to Lung and Respiratory Diseases for Patients and Their Families
Lawrence Martin, M.D.
Table of Contents
SECTION A. The Respiratory System: A Review
- What is the function of the respiratory system?
- How does gas exchange occur?
- What is alveolar ventilation?
- What is pulmonary circulation?
- Does the respiratory system have functions beside gas exchange?
SECTION B. Diagnosing Asthma:
"Hypersensitive Airways"
- What is asthma?
- What is an asthma attack?
- What can trigger an asthma attack?
- What is the spectrum of asthma severity?
- Can people die from asthma?
- Is all asthma due to allergy?
- What is non-allergic asthma?
- Does it matter if asthma is intrinsic or extrinsic?
- Are allergy shots of value?
- Does cigarette smoking cause asthma?
- What is occupational asthma?
- Is wheezing always present in an asthma attack?
- Does the presence of wheezing always mean asthma?
- What role do emotions play in asthma?
- What drugs should asthmatics avoid?
- What role does aspirin play in asthma?
- How does exercise exacerbate asthma?
- How is asthma treated?
- Can severe asthma attacks be prevented?
- How can a patient help manage his or her own asthma?
- Where can I go for help if I have asthma?
- Why do some asthmatics not improve with therapy?
- What is GERD and how does it cause asthma?
- What is sinusitis and why is it commonly associated with asthma?
SECTION C. Airway Disease from the Home and Home Environment
- What about airway irritants in the house?
- What about the environment near the home?
SECTION D Occupational Asthma and Bronchitis
- What are occupational asthma and bronchitis?
- Why is it difficult to diagnose these conditions?
- Why is the diagnosis of occupational asthma or bronchitis often contested?
- Is there a specific difference between occupational asthma and occupational bronchitis?
- What are the types of occupational asthma?
- What is RADS?
- Are there any medical differences between occupational and non-occupational asthma and bronchitis?
- Then what are the differences between occupational asthma/bronchitis and non-occupational asthma/bronchitis?
- How many different substances or agents can cause occupational asthma?
- What is "sick building" syndrome?
SECTION E. Drug Treatment of Asthma and Other Reversible Airway Problems
- How is asthma treated?
- How are drugs used to treat asthma?
- What types of drugs are used in treating asthma?
- How do asthma drugs work?
- What drug regimens are useful in asthma?
- What are the side effects of asthma drugs?
- What is the proper dose of asthma medication?
- Why is there a variable response to asthma therapy?
- What else can affect a patient's response to asthma drugs?
- Are generic drugs used in asthma?
- What other drugs are used in asthma?
- What is cromolyn sodium?
- What are expectorants?
- What are mucolytics?
- Is there any role for antihistamines in asthma?
- When should antibiotics be used in asthma?
- Are sedatives useful?
- How should inhalers be used in treating asthma?
- What are spacers?
- What are combination drugs?
- Are combination drugs better than single drugs taken separately?
- With these problems why are combinations used at all?
- Are non-prescription drugs effective for asthma?
- Can pregnant patients take asthma medication?
- How are asthma medications used in chronic bronchitis and emphysema?
- What is the future for asthma therapy?
SECTION F Non-drug (Natural) Therapies for Asthma
What are the so-called natural therapies for asthma?
Why go to a natural therapist?
What is natural therapy?
How do natural therapies treat asthma?
SECTION G Bronchitis and Emphysema: "COPD"
Why are bronchitis and emphysema considered together?
What is bronchitis?
Is chronic bronchitis just a "reaction" to irritants, or is it a specific disease?
What is the natural history of chronic bronchitis?
How does cigarette smoke cause chronic bronchitis?
What is asthmatic bronchitis?
How is chronic bronchitis treated?
What is the value of breathing tests in COPD?
What is the difference between chronic bronchitis and emphysema?
Why do some cigarette smokers develop chronic bronchitis and others emphysema?
Can inhaling passive smoke cause COPD?
What are the severe effects of chronic bronchitis and emphysema?
Can one develop "acute" emphysema?
Are there drugs for emphysema?
What about surgery for emphysema?
What about flu shots and the pneumonia vaccine?
What kind of lifestyle can COPD patients lead?
Are breathing exercises helpful?
What is pulmonary rehabilitation?
Is a warm climate better for patients with COPD?
What about sexual intercourse with COPD?
Is flying dangerous for patients with COPD?
What is the future for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
SECTION H Patterns of Lung Disease
What are the patterns of respiratory disease?
What is restrictive respiratory disease?
What is obstructive lung disease?
What is the difference between upper and lower airway obstruction?
SECTION I Diagnostic Tests and Procedures In Asthma, Bronchitis and Emphysema
Who should have a chest x-ray?
How is a chest x-ray taken?
What are pulmonary function tests?
What are intubation and artificial ventilation?
What is a tracheostomy?
SECTION J Symptoms and Signs of Lung Disease
What are the signs and symptoms of lung disease?
Do these signs and symptoms always mean lung disease?
When should I be worried about symptoms of respiratory disease?
What causes cough?
What is hemoptysis?
What is the best treatment for a cough?
What causes shortness of breath?
What is the hyperventilation syndrome?
What causes chest pain?
What are upper respiratory symptoms?
What are some common signs of respiratory disease?
What is fluid in the lungs?
What is a spot in the lungs?
SECTION K From Colds to Influenza: Common Infections of the Respiratory Tract
What is the common cold?
What is the best treatment for the common cold?
Is vitamin C helpful?
What is the difference between the common cold and the flu?
What are the complications of the flu?
Are smokers more likely to get the flu?
How is the flu prevented?
Is there any treatment for the flu?
What other respiratory infections are cause by viruses?
SECTION L Problems of the Chest Bellows
What is disease of the chest bellows?
What is Guillain Barre Syndrome?
What is myasthenia gravis?
What is kyphoscoliosis?
How does severe obesity lead to trouble breathing?
What diseases affect the diaphragms?
What are pleural effusions and pleural disease?
How does pleural disease interfere with breathing?
What is pneumothorax?
SECTION M Heart Disease: A Major Cause of Trouble Breathing
How can heart disease cause trouble breathing?
What is the difference between right and left heart failure?
What is pulmonary edema?
How is heart disease distinguished from lung disease in a patient with dyspnea?
What is cardiac asthma?
SECTION N Pneumonia and Pleurisy
What is pneumonia?
What are the infectious causes of pneumonia?
How is pneumonia diagnosed?
Can treatment begin before the cause is confirmed?
What is lobar pneumonia?
Is the pneumonia vaccine helpful?
What is Legionnaire's disease?
Do patients have to be hospitalized with pneumonia?
What is pleurisy?
SECTION O Sarcoidosis: of Unknown Cause After 100 Years
What is sarcoidosis?
Is sarcoidosis a serious disease?
How is the diagnosis of sarcoidosis made?
Can sarcoidosis mimic other diseases?
What are the stages of sarcoidosis?
What is the treatment for sarcoidosis?
SECTION P Oxygen: for Some, a Vital Drug
What is oxygen?
When is oxygen used?
How is oxygen administered?
Can oxygen be delivered anywhere?
How can a patient know if supplemental oxygen is needed?
How is oxygen given in the home?
What are the disadvantages of using home oxygen?
SECTION Q Other Occupational Lung Diseases
What is occupational lung disease?
How common is occupational lung disease?
What are the specific occupational lung diseases?
What is silicosis?
What are the health hazards from asbestos?
How was asbestos found to be dangerous?
Is there asbestos exposure apart from the workplace?
What other dusts can cause pneumoconiosis?
What is organic dust disease?
What is byssinosis?
What diseases occur from inhaling smoke, fumes, gases, vapors, mists, and sprays?
SECTION R Air Pollution
What is air pollution?
What makes up general air pollution?
What is smog?
What respiratory disease is caused by community air pollution?
Does general air pollution lead to specific disease in healthy people?
SECTION S Smoking and Your Health
How do we really know smoking is harmful?
What has been learned since the 1964 Surgeon General's report?
What percentage of the population smokes?
What is the worst effect of cigarette smoking?
How many deaths from lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema are attributable to cigarettes?
How does cigarette smoke result in heart damage?
What about pipe and cigar smoking?
Is cigarette smoke addicting?
How can one overcome the nicotine addiction and stop smoking?
If nicotine is addicting, why are some people able to quit "cold"?
What is the best method to quit smoking?
Can harm come from inhaling second-hand smoke?
Are the newer low-tar and nicotine cigarettes safer than the older brands?
Does quitting smoking improve survival?
How long after quitting does one achieve the same lung cancer risk as a non-smoker?
Is marijuana harmful to the lungs?
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