Impact of Reflux and Aspiration on Lung Disease: Mechanisms, Patterns of Injury, and Clinical Management
Reflux, aspiration and respiratory disease Impact of Reflux and Aspiration on Lung Disease: Mechanisms, Patterns of Injury, and Clinical Management Reflux and aspiration can contribute to cough, wheeze, recurrent infection and longer-term airway injury—even when heartburn is absent. Understanding the mechanism and pattern of lung damage is essential before deciding how it should be treated. […]
Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse and Recurrent Chest Infections
Central airway collapse and respiratory infection Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse and Recurrent Chest Infections Excessive dynamic airway collapse can contribute to persistent cough, difficulty clearing sputum, breathlessness and recurrent respiratory infections. Diagnosis requires more than finding some airway narrowing: the collapse must be interpreted alongside the patient’s symptoms, functional impairment and dynamic airway tests. EDAC […]
Managing Refractory MAC Pulmonary Disease
Specialist management of treatment-refractory NTM lung infection Managing Refractory MAC Pulmonary Disease Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease can be difficult to treat. When sputum cultures remain positive after at least six months of an appropriate guideline-based multidrug regimen, the disease may be classified as treatment refractory. Management requires a careful review of the diagnosis, antibiotic […]
Hay Fever and Respiratory Health
Allergic rhinitis, pollen exposure, asthma and respiratory health Understanding Hay Fever in Respiratory Health Hay fever is an allergic reaction affecting the nose and often the eyes. For people with asthma or another respiratory condition, pollen exposure may also worsen cough, wheeze, chest tightness and breathlessness. Understanding your triggers, using treatment correctly and keeping asthma […]
Smoking Cessation: Your Questions Answered
Evidence-based support for becoming smoke-free Smoking Cessation: Your Questions Answered Stopping smoking is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your lungs, heart and long-term health. Quitting can be difficult because tobacco dependence involves both nicotine addiction and established daily habits. The right treatment and behavioural support can make the process […]
Breathing Pattern Dysfunction: What is it and what can you do about it?
Understanding persistent breathlessness, air hunger and altered breathing Breathing Pattern Dysfunction: What Is It and What Can You Do About It? Breathing pattern dysfunction, also called breathing pattern disorder or dysfunctional breathing, describes an inefficient or altered way of breathing that can cause breathlessness, chest tightness, air hunger, dizziness, tingling, palpitations and fatigue. It can […]
Introduction to Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
A genetic disorder of the lungs, sinuses, ears and motile cilia Introduction to Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a rare inherited condition in which motile cilia do not form or move normally. Impaired mucus clearance can cause a wet cough from early life, chronic sinus and ear disease, recurrent chest infections and […]
Asthma with Fungal Sensitisation: Unveiling the Intricacies
Understanding mould allergy, severe asthma and Aspergillus-related disease Asthma with Fungal Sensitisation: Unveiling the Intricacies Some people with asthma develop an allergic immune response to airborne fungal proteins. This sensitisation may act as an asthma trigger and is more common in difficult or severe asthma, but it is not the same as fungal infection or […]
Demystifying Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis
Understanding an important Aspergillus-related airway disorder Demystifying Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, usually shortened to ABPA, is an exaggerated immune response to Aspergillus within susceptible airways. It most often affects people with asthma or cystic fibrosis and can cause worsening wheeze, thick mucus, recurrent lung abnormalities and bronchiectasis. Aspergillus allergy Asthma Thick mucus plugs […]
Pneumonia’s Varying Guises: From the Home to the ICU
Respiratory infection education • Pneumonia explained clearly Pneumonia’s Varying Guises: From the Home to the ICU Pneumonia is not one single condition. It can begin in the community, develop after hospital admission, or arise in the intensive care setting. The likely organisms, severity, treatment approach, and risk of multidrug resistance can differ substantially depending on […]
The Internal Medicine Physician: Who They Are and How They Can Help You
Adult Medicine Explained The Internal Medicine Physician: Who They Are and How They Can Help You An internal medicine physician, also known as an internist, specialises in diagnosing, treating, and preventing illnesses in adults. They are especially valuable when symptoms are complex, conditions overlap, or you need a doctor who can look at the bigger […]
ESKAPE: Emerging Multi-Drug Resistant Pneumonia Pathogens!
Antimicrobial resistance and severe respiratory infection ESKAPE: Emerging Multi-Drug Resistant Pneumonia Pathogens! ESKAPE pathogens are a group of bacteria with a remarkable ability to survive antimicrobial treatment and spread in healthcare environments. Several can cause severe hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia, particularly in critically ill, immunocompromised or heavily treated patients. Antimicrobial resistance Hospital-acquired pneumonia Ventilator-associated pneumonia […]
The Future of Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment
Emerging technology, precision diagnostics and better-targeted care The Future of Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Pneumonia remains a potentially serious lung infection, but its investigation and treatment are changing. Artificial intelligence, rapid molecular testing, improved imaging, genomic surveillance and more precise antimicrobial strategies may help clinicians diagnose infection faster, identify the likely cause and choose treatment […]
Bronchiolitis Obliterans: The ‘Popcorn Lung’ Mystery
Respiratory medicine • rare airway disease Bronchiolitis Obliterans: The ‘Popcorn Lung’ Mystery Bronchiolitis obliterans is an uncommon but important small-airway disease in which inflammation and scarring narrow the bronchioles, making it progressively harder for air to move in and out of the lungs. It has become widely known as “popcorn lung”, but the condition is […]
Who Should Have the Pneumococcal Vaccine?
Pneumococcal disease, eligibility and current vaccine guidance Who Should Have the Pneumococcal Vaccine? Pneumococcal vaccination helps protect against serious infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, including pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. Eligibility depends on age, health, vaccination history and national guidance. Adults aged 65 and over Clinical-risk groups PCV20 Children Immune suppression Chronic lung disease Pneumococcal vaccination […]
Phages in Bronchiectasis Treatment: A Revolutionary Approach?
The Burden of Bronchiectasis Bronchiectasis presents a significant health challenge worldwide. This condition is characterised by a permanent enlargement of the airways. It results in a chronic cough, fatigue, and persistent chest infections. Current treatments help manage symptoms and control infection but do not offer a permanent solution to the presence of colonising bacteria. However, […]
Respiratory Treatment in London: Breaking Down 8 Common Myths
Navigating the realm of respiratory treatment in London can be daunting, particularly when numerous myths often cloud the facts. Let’s debunk these common misconceptions, particularly in the context of London—a city with access to some of the country’s finest respiratory specialists and healthcare facilities like the renowned Royal Brompton Hospital, which specialises in heart and […]
Respiratory Infections in Sarcoidosis: Understanding the Link and Treatment
Respiratory infections can have a significant impact on individuals with sarcoidosis. This is due to structural lung disease and the immunosuppressive medication used to treat the lung inflammation. The connection between sarcoidosis and respiratory infections is explored here, including the symptoms and valuable information on managing and preventing these infections. By understanding this link and […]
What Does a Chest Chest Doctor Do? When to See a Respiratory Specialist or Physician.
Respiratory specialist guide What Does a Chest Doctor Do? When to See a Respiratory Specialist or Physician A chest doctor diagnoses and manages conditions affecting the lungs, airways, breathing and pleura. Learn what respiratory physicians do, which tests they arrange and when specialist assessment may help. Respiratory symptoms Lung-function tests Chest imaging Bronchoscopy Long-term lung […]
