- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- 18.1 Structure and function
- 18.2 The clinical presentation of respiratory disease
- 18.3 Clinical investigation of respiratory disorders
- 18.4 Respiratory infection
- 18.5 The upper respiratory tract
- 18.6 Allergic rhinitis
- 18.7 Asthma
- 18.8 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- 18.9 Bronchiectasis
- 18.10 Cystic fibrosis
- 18.11 Diffuse parenchymal lung diseases
- 18.12 Sarcoidosis
- 18.13 Pneumoconioses
- 18.14 Miscellaneous conditions
- 18.15 Chronic respiratory failure
- 18.16 Lung transplantation
- 18.17 Pleural diseases
- 18.18 Disorders of the thoracic cage and diaphragm
- 18.19 Malignant diseases
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine
(p. 3931) Respiratory disorders
The upper respiratory tract extends from the anterior nares to the larynx and comprises (1) the nose—with the main function as first-line defence against problems with incoming air, acting as a coarse particle filter and a conditioner (temperature and humidity) of the air, and with the sense of smell helping to detect noxious substances that are best avoided. (2) The pharynx—this has to act as a rigid tube when used for breathing, but during swallowing it has to be a collapsible tube capable of peristalsis, a combination of functions which is achieved by complex innervation and musculature. Subepithelial collections of lymphoid tissue in the pharynx are ideally suited to process inhaled and swallowed antigens. (3) The larynx—this has three important functions: communication, protection of the airway, and dynamic control of lung volume.
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- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- 18.1 Structure and function
- 18.2 The clinical presentation of respiratory disease
- 18.3 Clinical investigation of respiratory disorders
- 18.4 Respiratory infection
- 18.5 The upper respiratory tract
- 18.6 Allergic rhinitis
- 18.7 Asthma
- 18.8 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- 18.9 Bronchiectasis
- 18.10 Cystic fibrosis
- 18.11 Diffuse parenchymal lung diseases
- 18.12 Sarcoidosis
- 18.13 Pneumoconioses
- 18.14 Miscellaneous conditions
- 18.15 Chronic respiratory failure
- 18.16 Lung transplantation
- 18.17 Pleural diseases
- 18.18 Disorders of the thoracic cage and diaphragm
- 18.19 Malignant diseases
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine