What are the illnesses that can affect the respiratory system?
Inflammatory lung diseaseCharacterised by a high neutrophil count, e.g. asthma, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or acute respiratory distress syndromeObstructive lung diseasesObstructive lung diseases are diseases of the lung where the airways (i.e. bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) become reduced in volume or have free flow of gas impeded, making it more difficult to move air in and out of the lung.Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes emphysema an example of an obstructive lung disease, is where the alveolae rupture causing air to be retained in the lungs and limit the available space during inhalationAsthmaAsthma is an example of a restrictive lung disease, (and of an inflammatory lung disease).Asthma attacks can be brought on by triggers, such as air pollution, tobacco smoke, factory fumes, cleaning solvents, infections, pollens, foods, cold air, exercise, chemicals and medications. Triggers are highly individual and may not be related to allergens. Many asthmatics are not allergic to common allergens such as mold, ragweed, dust or pollens. Asthma is a difficulty in breathing causing wheezing due to inflammation of bronchi and bronchioles, this causes a restriction in the airflow into the alveoli.Restrictive lung diseasesRestrictive lung diseases (also known as interstitial lung diseases) are a category of respiratory disease characterized by a loss of lung compliance, causing incomplete lung expansion and increased lung stiffness. E.g. in infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS).Respiratory tract infectionsInfections can affect any part of the respiratory system. They are traditionally divided into upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections.Upper respiratory tract infectionThe most common upper respiratory tract infection is the common cold however, infections of specific organs of the upper respiratory tract such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, pharyngitis and laryngitis are also considered upper respiratory tract infections.Lower respiratory tract infectionThe most common lower respiratory tract infection is pneumonia, a lung infection.[clarification needed] Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae in Western countries. Worldwide, tuberculosis is an important cause of pneumonia. Other pathogens such as viruses and fungi can cause pneumonia for example severe acute respiratory syndrome and pneumocystis pneumonia. A pneumonia may develop complications such as a lung abscess, a round cavity in the lung caused by the infection, or may spread to the pleural cavity.Malignant tumorsMalignant tumors of the respiratory system, particularly primary carcinomas of the lung, are a major health problem responsible for 15% of all cancer diagnoses and 29% of all cancer deaths. The majority of respiratory system cancers are attributable to smoking tobacco.The major histological types of respiratory system cancer are:Small cell lung cancerNon-small cell lung cancerAdenocarcinoma of the lungSquamous cell carcinoma of the lungLarge cell lung carcinomaOther lung cancers (carcinoid, Kaposi's sarcoma, melanoma)LymphomaHead and neck cancerPleural Mesothelioma, almost always caused by exposure to asbestos dust.In addition, since many cancers spread via the bloodstream and the entire cardiac output passes through the lungs, it is common for cancer metastases to occur within the lung. Breast cancer may invade directly through local spread, and through lymph node metastases. After metastasis to the liver, colon cancer frequently metastasizes to the lung. Prostate cancer, germ cell cancer and renal cell carcinoma may also metastasize to the lung.Treatment of respiratory system cancer depends on the type of cancer. Surgical removal of part of a lung (lobectomy, segmentectomy, or wedge resection) or of an entire lung pneumonectomy), along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are all used. The chance of surviving lung cancer depends on the cancer stage at the time the cancer is diagnosed, and to some extent on the histology, and is only about 14-17% overall.[4] In the case of metastases to the lung, treatment can occasionally be curative but only in certain, rare circumstances.Benign tumorsBenign tumors are relatively rare causes of respiratory disease. Examples of benign tumors are:Pulmonary hamartomaCongenital malformations such as pulmonary sequestration and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM).Pleural cavity diseasesPleural cavity diseases include pleural mesothelioma which are mentioned above.A collection of fluid in the pleural cavity is known as a pleural effusion. This may be due to fluid shifting from the bloodstream into the pleural cavity due to conditions such as congestive heart failure and cirrhosis. It may also be due to inflammation of the pleura itself as can occur with infection, pulmonary embolus, tuberculosis, mesothelioma and other conditions.A pneumothorax is a hole in the pleura covering the lung allowing air in the lung to escape into the pleural cavity. The affected lung "collapses" like a deflated balloon. A tension pneumothorax is a particularly severe form of this condition where the air in the pleural cavity cannot escape, so the pneumothorax keeps getting bigger until it compresses the heart and blood vessels, leading to a life threatening situation.Pulmonary vascular diseasesPulmonary vascular diseases are conditions that affect the pulmonary circulation. Examples are[citation needed]Pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that forms in a vein, breaks free, travels through the heart and lodges in the lungs (thromboembolism). Large pulmonary emboli are fatal, causing sudden death. A number of other substances can also embolise (travel through the blood stream) to the lungs but they are much more rare: fat embolism (particularly after bony injury), amniotic fluid embolism (with complications of labour and delivery), air embolism (iatrogenic - caused by invasive medical procedures).Pulmonary arterial hypertension, elevated pressure in the pulmonary arteries. Most commonly it is idiopathic (i.e. of unknown cause) but it can be due to the effects of another disease, particularly COPD. This can lead to strain on the right side of the heart, a condition known as cor pulmonale.Pulmonary edema, leakage of fluid from capillaries of the lung into the alveoli (or air spaces). It is usually due to congestive heart failure.Pulmonary hemorrhage, inflammation and damage to capillaries in the lung resulting in blood leaking into the alveoli. This may cause blood to be coughed up. Pulmonary hemorrhage can be due to auto-immune disorders such as Wegener's Granulomatosis and Goodpasture's syndrome.Respiratory diseases may be investigated by performing one or more of the following testsChest x-rayPulmonary function testComputed tomography scanCulture of microorganisms from secretions such as sputumBronchoscopyBiopsy of the lung or pleuraVentilation - perfusion scanUltrasound scanning can be useful to detect fluid such as pleural effusionEpidemiologyRespiratory disease is a common and important cause of illness and death around the world. In the US, approximately 1 billion "common colds" occur each year.[5] In the UK, approximately 1 in 7 individuals are affected by some form of chronic lung disease, most commonly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.[6] Respiratory diseases (including lung cancer) are responsible for over 10% of hospitalizations and over 16% of deaths in Canada.Note = All these informations has been edited through notepad and transferred to this window. Informations taken from Wikipedia.
