Table of Contents
Introduction xi
1 How the Lungs Work 1
Lung Structure 3
The Mechanics of Respiration 18
2 The Battle Within: Your Lungs versus the World 25
The Lung Microbiome 29
Infections 30
Viral Infections 31
SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 38
Bacterial Infections 44
Mycobacterial Infections 49
Fungal Infections 53
3 Protecting Your Lungs for Life 55
Protecting Lungs in the Womb 58
Protecting Lungs in Childhood 66
Protecting Lungs in Adulthood 76
4 How Pulmonologists Think: The Science and Art of Diagnosing Lung Diseases 85
The Medical Interview 90
The Physical Exam 95
Pulmonary Function Testing 97
Imaging 101
Bronchoscopy 105
5 A Short Guide to Chronic Lung Diseases 109
Asthma 109
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 111
Treatment 112
COPD 114
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 115
Treatment 116
Cystic Fibrosis 118
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 119
Treatment 120
Interstitial Lung Diseases 121
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 123
Treatment 124
Lung Cancer 125
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 127
Treatment 128
Pulmonary Circulatory Disorders 130
Clinical Presentation and Diagnosis 131
Treatment 132
Respiratory Failure 133
Stem Cell Therapy 135
6 The Fifth Vital Sign 137
A Brief History Lesson 138
Finding Solutions 146
The Future of Lung Health 150
Acknowledgments 153
Notes 155
Illustration Credits 163
Index 165