pulmonoloogia

Pulmonology, also known as respiratory medicine in some regions, is a medical specialty focused on diseases of the respiratory tract, including the airways and the lungs. It encompasses prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of respiratory diseases, as well as the management of critical respiratory conditions in hospital settings.

The field covers a wide range of conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, tuberculosis, pulmonary hypertension, bronchiectasis, and sleep-disordered breathing like obstructive sleep apnea. Diagnostic tools include medical history, physical examination, imaging (chest X-ray, CT), pulmonary function tests (spirometry, DLCO), arterial blood gas analysis, bronchoscopy, and thoracic ultrasound.

Treatments and procedures in pulmonology include pharmacotherapy with bronchodilators (beta-agonists, anticholinergics), inhaled corticosteroids, systemic steroids, antibiotics, antifungals, and antifibrotic agents. Supportive therapies such as long-term oxygen therapy and non-invasive or invasive ventilation are used for respiratory failure. Common procedures include bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy, and various pleural interventions, along with pulmonary rehabilitation. Management of sleep apnea with CPAP or BiPAP, vaccination, and risk factor modification are also important aspects of care.

Training and scope vary by country but generally involve residency or fellowship after medical school, with specialization in pulmonology. The field often collaborates with thoracic surgery, oncology, infectious disease, and cardiology, and it overlaps with critical care and palliative medicine in the care of severely ill patients.