Drug-Induced Pulmonary Disease
Introduction Adverse drug reactions have been the object of intense scrutiny since the early 1990s and have been recognized as a top safety priority by health care quality improvement organizations…
Sarcoidosis
Introduction Sarcoidosis has been defined as a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown cause. Sarcoidosis affects the lung in over 90% of cases but can affect any part of the body….
Endemic Mycoses
Detailed information on antifungal drugs and their clinical use is available in Chapter 38 , Opportunistic Mycoses. Introduction Geographically restricted (or endemic) mycoses include histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, sporotrichosis, and…
Bronchiectasis
Introduction Bronchiectasis is defined by dilation, or ectasia, of the airways or bronchus. The primary clinical manifestations of bronchiectasis are recurrent, chronic, or refractory infections. Other significant sequelae include hemoptysis,…
Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution
Introduction Catastrophic air pollution events in the Meuse Valley of Belgium (1930), Donora, PA (1948), and London (1952) arose when air stagnation caused high levels of ambient pollutants, especially sulfur…
Acute Responses to Toxic Exposures
Introduction This chapter focuses on the acute effects on the lung after exposure to toxic substances. As used in this chapter, acute indicates short-term exposures (minutes to hours), with the…
Viral Infections
Introduction Viral infections are important causes of disease of the respiratory tract. The common cold is the most frequently encountered infectious syndrome of humans, while influenza continues to be a…
Ventilation, Blood Flow, and Gas Exchange
Introduction This first chapter in the section on respiratory physiology is devoted to the primary function of the lung: gas exchange. In addition, the principles of ventilation and blood flow…
Asthma in the Workplace
Introduction Work-related asthma (WRA) is a major public health concern due to its high prevalence and societal burden. WRA is a broad term indicating that asthma is worsened by the…
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Introduction Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis, constitutes a spectrum of granulomatous, interstitial, bronchiolar, and alveolar-filling lung diseases resulting from repeated inhalation of and sensitization to a…
