Respiratory Medicine
Respiratory medicine is concerned with diagnosis, treatment and continuing care of patients with a considerable and challenging range of pathologies. They include:
asthma- chronic obstructive lung disease
- diffuse interstitial lung disease
- sarcoidosis
- asbestos related conditions including mesothelioma
- cystic fibrosis
- tuberculosis
- management of chronic and acute respiratory failure
- sleep disordered breathing
- pneumonia
- pulmonary disorders in the immunocompromised host
- bronchiectasis
- pulmonary hypertension
- pulmonary haemorrhage
- pulmonary embolism
- allergic lung disorders
- disorders of the pleura (including mesothelioma, pleural effusion and pneumothorax)
- pulmonary manifestations of systemic disease
- genetic and developmental lung disorders
- a major commitment towards lung cancer, being the most common cancer in both males and females in the United Kingdom.
- lung transplantation
- cystic fibrosis
- HIV/AIDS
- occupational lung disease
- palliative care and intensive care.
Sub-specialty interests also include:
In addition, most respiratory physicians have a major commitment to the care of patients admitted as medical emergencies and in-take and post-take ward rounds. With approximately one-third of all acute admissions being respiratory this commitment is unlikely to diminish. The expectation that all patients with respiratory disease have the option of being reviewed during their inpatient stay by a respiratory specialist, represents a considerable increase in workload.
