Respiratory Illnesses (lesson six)

Question 1

Epidemiology

Answer 1

the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.

Question 2

asthma

Answer 2

• Asthma is a chronic, long-term inflammation of the lining of the bronchi and bronchioles.
• As a defensive mechanism, inflammation aims to get rid of some foreign objects or pathogens
• Symptoms of asthma:
  - coughing, wheezing, and tightness in the chest. And shortness of breath

Question 3

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Answer 3

• COPD is a long-term respiratory disease that is a combination of two diseases—bronchitis and emphysema
• 90% of all cases are caused by cigarette smoke, but prolonged exposure to pollution, dust, or fumes can also contribute
• The symptoms of COPD are very similar to those of asthma: coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
• the other condition of COPD, emphysema, causes permanent damage to the alveoli.

Question 4

Respiratory infections

Answer 4

Lungs are the main target for infections, because of the constant exposure of living tissue to the external environment.
- Influenza
- Tuberculosis
- Pneumonia

Question 5

Influenza

Answer 5

• New strains of flu viruses are constantly appearing, often as a result of mutations of existing flu viruses.
• One well-publicized incidence of a new flu virus was H1N1 in 2009.
• The flu virus may affect the whole body or be confined to the lungs.
• Symptoms are fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, and muscle and joint aches and
  pains.

Question 6

tuberculosis

Answer 6

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• The classic symptoms of TB include coughing, chest pain, weight loss, night sweats, and coughing up blood.
• TB usually affects the lungs but can move from the lungs to affect the nervous system, the bones and joints in the spine, and other parts of the body.

Question 7

Pneumonia

Answer 7

• Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
• The infection causes inflammation of the lining of the bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.
• The infection also causes pus and mucus to accumulate in the alveoli, preventing gas exchange
• Pneumonia has typical symptoms of an infection and a respiratory disease—fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
• Pneumonia can be diagnosed by analyzing the mucus
  in the respiratory system, or phlegm, that is coughed up from the lungs.
• X-rays can
  also show if areas of the lungs are blocked with fluids.

Question 8

Cystic Fibrosis

Answer 8

• cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disorder in which the gene that influences mucus production is
  defective
• The respiratory system of a
  person with CF produces unusually thick and sticky mucus that clogs the airways.
• Symptoms include a persistent cough and excess mucus.
• CF also makes the individual more susceptible to lung infections.
• The increased production of mucus in the lungs creates an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi

Question 9

Smoking

Answer 9

• Smoking is known to cause lung
  cancer, COPD, bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.
• It is also linked to diseases of the
  circulatory system, such as arteriosclerosis, and heart attacks
• Three substances in cigarette smoke cause most of the problems for the respiratory system and the body in general: nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar
• Nicotine is a natural insecticide produced by tobacco plants to kill insect pests. It is an addictive chemical that stimulates the reward pathways in the brain to produce dopamine and
  endorphins
• The carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke or other sources affects the ability of the respiratory system to deliver oxygen to the body cells.
• Tar is a black, sticky substance that accumulates in the alveoli, effectively preventing any exchange of gases

Question 10

new Technologies

Answer 10

FLAP inhibitors
- FLAP inhibitors are a category of
drugs that interfere with the
production of chemicals that
cause inflammation
Bronchial Thermoplasty
- bronchial thermoplasty is a
procedure that
decreases the amount of
constriction of the airways during
an asthma attack by using
thermal energy to reduce the
muscle thickness in the bronchioles

Question 11

Artificial Lungs

Answer 11

• In 2008, Katie Sutherland, a 16-year-old lung transplant patient, became so sick that her medical team had no choice but to use a new technology that had never been used on a teen before. Doctors connected her to an iLA Membrane Ventilator, an external
  artificial lung system designed primarily to remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
• The iLA Membrane Ventilator is a small device connected to the body by two tubes, usually inserted into the femoral blood vessels, which are in the thigh

Question 12

Lung Transplants

Answer 12

• A lung transplant involves replacing one or both diseased lungs with healthy lungs from a donor
• Depending on the type of disease and the extent of damage to the lungs, it is possible to receive just a portion of a lung.
• In these cases, a section of the lung can be transplanted from a living donor.
• Two or more living donors are necessary to create a fully functioning lung for the recipient