Respiratory disease, any of the diseases and disorders of the airways and the lungs that affect human respiration.
The respiratory system disease may affect any of the structures and organs that have to do with breathing, including the nasal cavities, the pharynx ,larynx, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles, lungs tissue, and the respiratory muscles of the chest cage.
The respiratory tract is the site of an exceptionally large range of disorders for three main reasons-
(1) Environment –it may be affected by inhaled organisms, dusts, or gases.
(2) network of capillaries through which the entire output of the heart has to pass, which means that diseases that affect the small blood vessels are likely to affect the lung and
(3) it may be the site of “sensitivity” that may affect function.
Signs and symptoms
1. Cough- it is a particularly important sign of all diseases that affect any part of the bronchial tree.ex.- bronchitis
The presence of blood in the sputum (hemoptysis)-it is an important sign that should never be disregarded. ex.-inflammation, capillary damage, or a tumour.
Hemoptysis is also a classic sign of tuberculosis of the lungs.
2. Dyspnea or shortness of breath- it may arise when a foreign body is inhaled into the trachea, or with the onset of a severe attack of asthma. More often, it is insidious in onset and slowly progressive.
The shortness of breath may vary in severity, but in diseases such as emphysema .
3. Chest pain- it may be an early symptom of lung disease.
4. wheeziness
5. fatigue
Methods of investigation
Physical examination
CT scan(computed tomography)
X-rays
MRI( magnetic resonance imaging)
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