Reviewer: Santosh Dhungana, MD (Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine)
Description: Written by nurses, respiratory therapists, and practicing physicians in the U.K., this comprehensive book encompasses different aspects of respiratory diseases and their management. It covers the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system, as well as brief overviews of different disease conditions and therapies.
Purpose: The book purports to give a comprehensive overview of respiratory diseases and different aspects of respiratory care including oxygen delivery, noninvasive ventilation, and end-of-life issues to nurses, respiratory therapists, and students who care for these patients. Although these are worthy objectives, there are several other books on this subject, with similar material, and it's difficult to discern from the preface why this additional book was deemed necessary. However, it does serve the purpose of a starter book on respiratory diseases.
Audience: The preface does not clarify who the intended audience is. It seems to be aimed at mid-level healthcare professionals caring for patients with respiratory ailments, such as nurses and respiratory therapists in training, as well as, potentially, medical students. It meets the needs of midlevel practitioners. As most of the authors are nurse practitioners from the U.K., lecturers, and respiratory therapists, it is difficult to discern whether they are recognized experts in this area.
Features: After respiratory anatomy and physiology, the book delves into history taking, physical examination, and investigations used in the care of respiratory patients. It then covers multiple individual respiratory diseases including COPD, asthma, TB, pneumonia, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, etc. Chapters also cover tracheostomy care, oxygen therapy, noninvasive ventilation, smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy, and end-of-life care. This very comprehensive group of topics will give a brief overview of respiratory medicine to beginners. Topics like tracheostomy care and oxygen therapy are covered relatively well. Ample figures and charts elevate the pedagogic quality of the book. There are case studies after each chapter, which is unique to this book.
Assessment: Overall, this is a fairly comprehensive book on respiratory conditions and treatment modalities that should serve as a primer for beginners in the field of respiratory medicine, and would be particularly useful for midlevel healthcare professionals.
