Our pulmonology team deals with everything related to the functioning of the respiratory system: lungs, bronchi, pleura and trachea.
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, non-infectious lung disease that affects the respiratory system and makes breathing difficult. COPD is also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema and other similar lung diseases.
Chronic bronchitis is a disease of the airways in the lungs. It is characterised by coughing, mucus production and chest congestion. Chronic bronchitis is more common in smokers than in non-smokers.
Chronic bronchitis is often associated with asthma or emphysema. The combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema is called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
ASTHMA AND AIRWAY ALLERGIES
Asthma and respiratory allergies are defined as irregular narrowing of the airways caused by inflammation of the bronchial tubes.
This can be triggered by various factors, such as environmental irritants (pollution, dust/smoke) and cigarette smoke, infections or physical exercise. Asthma and respiratory allergies affect about 300 million people worldwide, especially young women with seasonal allergies.
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disorder of the airways. Asthma can range from mild to fatal and affects people of all ages. It causes inflammation, narrowing of the airways and an increased risk of bronchospasm (constriction).
RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
Our respiratory department supports all respiratory infections, which are infections of the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, throat and sinuses, caused by bacteria and viruses.
Respiratory infections can cause symptoms such as fever, headache, coughing and sneezing. Respiratory infections are caused by a wide variety of pathogens with different infection mechanisms, causing different types of disease.
The most common causes of respiratory infections in adults are:
- The common cold (virus)
- Influenza (virus) – flu season occurs during the winter months; the most severe symptoms occur within two days of exposure to the virus.
- Bronchitis (virus or bacteria) – inflammation of the walls of the large airways; usually caused by a virus that attacks the walls of the bronchi; symptoms include cough with phlegm and shortness of breath.
- Pneumonia (bacteria) – inflammation of the lung tissue that can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs; usually caused by bacteria, but can also be caused by viruses or fungi.
BRONCHOPULMONARY TUMOURS
A bronchopulmonary tumour is a type of lung neoplasm (the formation of abnormal tissue in the respiratory system) that comes from the cells that line the airways.
There are two types of bronchopulmonary tumour, benign and malignant. Benign tumours do not spread to other parts of the body and can be treated with medical or surgical intervention, while malignant tumours have the potential to spread if left untreated.
Bronchopulmonary tumours include:
- Lung cancer – cancer that develops in lung cells.
- Tracheobronchial carcinoid (TBC) – A tumour that develops in the bronchi and has similar characteristics to neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
- Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) – Cancer that develops in the cells that line the airways. It may also be called adenocarcinoma, lymphoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
RESPIRATORY FAILURE
Respiratory failure (part of the lung speciality) is a life-threatening condition in which the lungs cannot supply enough oxygen to the body.
Respiratory failure can be acute (rapid onset) or chronic (slow progression). Causes include pneumonia, influenza, cancer, heart failure and certain lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Emphysema is a chronic and progressive lung disease that causes shortness of breath. It causes the walls of the alveoli (air sacs) to break down, reducing the body’s ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, leading to a feeling of tiredness and shortness of breath.
SLEEP APNOEA
Our pulmonology department supports sleep apnoea, a sleep disorder in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during sleep.
The most common cause is a drooping of the soft tissues in your airways, which blocks them and interrupts your breathing.
Sleep apnoea usually has no symptoms during the day, but it can lead to problems such as high blood pressure, depression and heart disease.
We present to you some articles relating to pathologies treated in our Mediterranean clinic, with an effective and efficient medical and paramedical team.
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TESTS RELATED TO PNEUMOLOGY
Respiratory Functional Testing (RFT) is a method of examining the respiratory system based on the patient’s complaints and answers to questions.
RFT can be used to assess patients with various respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, wheezing and other signs of airway obstruction.
RFT can be performed by healthcare professionals without formal training in respiratory physiology or pathology, including general practitioners and nurses.
This simple approach allows clinicians to quickly identify many conditions that can cause symptoms and determine which test(s) should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.
Why use the Respiratory Functional Test?
Respiratory functional test (RFT) allows healthcare professionals to identify patients who may have a respiratory abnormality without having to perform expensive tests such as a pulmonary function study or fibre-optic bronchoscopy. It also makes it possible to determine whether the patient has multiple pathologies at the root of their symptoms or just one specific problem.
Polygraphy is a medical procedure used in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases. It is also known as plethysmography or plethysmograph. Polygraphy is a method of measuring changes in lung volume in response to various stimuli. It can be used to measure lung function and quality of breathing, and to determine whether a patient has asthma or other lung disease.
Polygraphy measures the amount of air exhaled after inhalation. This measurement is called vital capacity. Normal vital capacity varies with age, sex and height, but should be between 3 and 6 litres (or 3 to 6% of body weight). A person with asthma may have a reduced vital capacity. In addition to vital capacity, polygraphy can measure other aspects of breathing such as respiratory rate (number of breaths per minute), current volume (volume of each breath) and respiratory frequency variability (change in respiratory rate from one minute to the next).
Why use the polygraphy?
Polygraphy can help your doctor diagnose some common lung diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
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F.A.Q
Pulmonology is the study of the lungs. It is a medical speciality that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the respiratory system.
A pulmonologist (from the Greek word pneuma, meaning “air”) is a doctor who specialises in diseases of the respiratory system.
The pulmonologist’s main role is to diagnose and treat people with lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, lung cancer and many other conditions. They can also treat people with heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases that affect breathing, such as emphysema or bronchiectasis.
The field of pulmonology is not the synonym of pulmonology, which focuses on the treatment of diseases and disorders of the respiratory tract. The field of pulmonology includes subspecialities such as intensive care, sleep medicine, pulmonary medicine, thoracic surgery, paediatric pulmonology and others.
If you have a lung disease, Pulmonologists are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of respiratory diseases. They can help you manage asthma, COPD, lung cancer and other conditions.
If you have chest pain, Pulmonologists can assess your symptoms and determine whether they are caused by heart or lung problems. They can also treat heart failure associated with pulmonary hypertension or other lung diseases. If you have a chronic cough or shortness of breath. Pulmonologists are experts in diagnosing and treating these symptoms, which can be caused by infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, viral infections such as influenza or tuberculosis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They are also used to treat tuberculosis and other lung infections.
If you want to stop smoking, Pulmonologists can help you stop smoking through programs that include advice on healthier lifestyles, nicotine replacement therapy and other medicines.
If you have certain types of cancer, such as lung cancer, which requires specialist care from a pulmonologist with experience of this type of cancer.
Respiratory failure (managed in our Respirology Unit) is a severe form of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is a serious, life-threatening condition. It occurs when a person’s lungs do not get enough oxygen.
Respiratory failure can be caused by:
– Damage to the chest cavity (lungs) or lung tissue (lung)
– Obstruction of the airways by foreign bodies or swelling (pneumonia)
– Infection of the lungs (pneumonia)
– Respiratory failure can be acute (sudden onset) or chronic (developing over time). Respiratory failure can also result from underlying lung disease, such as pneumonia or heart failure.
Acute respiratory failure occurs when the lungs cannot exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide efficiently, resulting in hypoxaemia (low levels of oxygen in the blood) and hypercapnia (high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood). Hypoxaemia can cause cyanosis (bluish discolouration of the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood), shortness of breath, confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness and even death if not treated promptly with supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Acute respiratory failure is often caused by pneumonia or other infections of the lungs, or by severe asthma attacks.
Chronic respiratory failure occurs when a person’s lungs don’t work properly for a long time due to long-term damage caused by conditions such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic respiratory failure often develops slowly over time, but can become suddenly acute when it progresses rapidly or manifests as seizures.
Legionellosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. The disease can be transmitted by inhaling contaminated aerosols from water sources such as air conditioners, showers and fountains.
Symptoms of legionellosis may include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Tiredness
- Chest pain (may be severe)
Bronchitis (treated in our pneumology department) is a lung disease that causes inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways leading to the lungs. The main symptoms of bronchitis are coughing and wheezing. The cough may be dry or produce mucus.
The severity of bronchitis can range from a mild cough lasting a week or two to a severe, long-lasting condition. Acute bronchitis often starts with an infection of the upper airways (nose and throat), followed by swelling and irritation of the lower airways (bronchi). These irritated airways then produce more mucus than usual, which can make it difficult to breathe deeply without coughing.
Chronic bronchitis, which lasts three months or longer, occurs when there is a long-term change in lung function. This happens when the lining of the airways is damaged by previous infections or by exposure to irritants such as tobacco smoke, dust and chemicals. Over time, chronic bronchitis causes permanent changes in your lungs that prevent you from breathing properly, even when you don’t have an infection or other illness.
The pulmonary system is made up of the lungs, bronchi and alveoli. Pulmonologists use different types of tests to diagnose and monitor patients with lung disease. These include:
– Physical examination: A physical examination allows your doctor to check that your lungs are working properly and to detect any abnormalities or infections.
The doctor may listen to your chest with a stethoscope and look into your mouth with a mirror.
– Chest X-ray: An X-ray takes pictures of structures inside the body, such as bones and organs. In this case, it’s used to assess how well your lungs are working and whether they’re infected or damaged.
– Blood tests: Blood tests can help determine if you have an infection in your lungs or if something else is affecting their function.
– Arterial blood gas (ABG): This test measures carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen levels in the blood at rest.
– Pulse oximetry: Pulse oximetry is an easy-to-use device that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Bronchial carcinoid tumours (treated in our pneumology department) are non-small cell lung cancers that originate in the bronchial epithelium. They are rare, accounting for less than 1% of all lung cancers.
Carcinoids are slow-growing tumours that usually do not metastasise (spread) to other tissues or organs. However, they can produce hormones that cause cancerous changes in nearby tissues, such as the liver and endocrine glands, and spread through the blood and lymphatic system.
Carcinoid tumours develop in the bronchial mucosa and spread locally by direct invasion or via lymphatic channels to regional lymph nodes. They can also spread haematogenously (via the bloodstream) to distant sites such as bone marrow and brain tissue.
Oxygen therapy is a medical treatment based on oxygen. Oxygen therapy increases the amount of oxygen that reaches the body’s tissues. Oxygen is delivered directly into the lungs and bloodstream, or through a nasal cannula or face mask. Oxygen therapy can be used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, including COPD, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure and emphysema. It can also be used to help people recover from surgery or trauma if they are unable to breathe on their own after being intubated (inserted with a breathing tube).Oxygen therapy is often used for people who have difficulty breathing because of low blood oxygen levels (hypoxaemia).This can be caused by a number of conditions, including:
- Heart failure
- Pneumonia
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
