A respiratory disease is a certain type of disease which has an effect on the respiratory system. These diseases are fairly common, which is why I will be sharing information about these diseases.
Lung Cancer
There are two main types of Lung Cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non- Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The picture below came from the Mayo Clinic.
Small Cell Lung Cancer:
Small Cell Lung Cancer is one of the many types of fast growing cancers. That means that these cancer cells reproduce quickly, spreading in the lungs. This cancer forms in people’s lung tissues. After one has been diagnosed wih this disease, tests are carried out to determine if the cancer has spread within the chest or to any other parts of the body. Sometimes, people decide to get a second opinion if they are unsure about the first one. Nearly 70% of people that are diagnosed with SCLC die within 2 years of being diagnosed. Less than 2% of patients diagnosed with SCLC survive for 5 years after being diagnosed.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer:
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is when cancerous cells form in the lung tissues. This type of cancer does not spread as fast as SCLC. This means that it might take longer to be noticed, or it may not be noticed at all until it starts to worsen. Similarly to Small Cell Lung Cancer, smoking is a major risk factor of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Smoking is a major cause of most lung diseases as it is incredibly bad for a person’s lungs. For most patients, current treatments do not cure them of NSCLC. If cancer is suspected, a patient will have a biopsy to test if they have cancer or not.
This came from: The National Cancer Institute(.gov)
Diseases
2. Tuberculosis
The image displayed in the magnifying glass is the cause of TB in lungs, known as Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. There are two types of tuberculosis. Inactive Tuberculosis (Inactive TB) and Active Tuberculosis (Active TB).
Active Tuberculosis:
Active TB happens when a person’s immune system cannot keep Tuberculosis (TB) germs from multiplying and growing in their body. People who have Active TB feel sick and can spread germs. This form of TB can almost always be cured and treated with medicine. However, without any treatment, it can be fatal. People who have Active TB have an abundance of bacteria in their body. In their body. They feel sick, are contagious, and have a positive TB blood or skin test. They may also have an abnormal chest x-ray or sputum smear or culture. These people need treatment for Active TB.
Inactive Tuberculosis:
Inactive TB can live in a person’s body for years without them noticing. People with Inactive TB do not feel sick, do not have symptoms, and cannot spread the disease to others. Therefore, people do not realize that they have TB and do not get treatment for it. This can result in Inactive TB becoming Active TB. People with Inactive TB have a normal chest x-ray and if performed, negative laboratory tests. Inactive TB may not seem like a big deal, however it must be treated. If it is not treated, it will become Active TB. (CDC) The image to the left came from The University of Chicago Medical School.
3. Pneumonia
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3. Pneumonia *
Pneumonia is a lung infection that is caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Bacteria and viruses are the more common causes of Pneumonia. Fungi and parasites are less common. Pneumonia is mainly acquired in healthcare settings where bacteria and fungi are mostly spread. There are three types of pneumonia. Community acquired, Healthcare acquired, and Ventilator acquired pneumonia. While there are a variety of causes, these types of pneumonia are all the same disease with the same symptoms and effects.
Healthcare Acquired Pneumonia:
This type of pneumonia is when someone develops pneumonia during or following a stay at a healthcare setting. This is a fairly common type of pneumonia because germs like bacteria and viruses are present in these settings. In these settings, many people are sick with many kinds of diseases. Pneumonia is fairly common, so many people there have pneumonia. Since people in hospitals and other healthcare settings are kept very close to each other, dieseases spread fast.
Community Acquired Pneumonia:
This type of pneumonia is when a person develops pneumonia in the community. This could be spread from a family member or a friend.
Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia:
This type of lung infection occurs when somebody develops pneumonia after being on a ventilator, a machine that supports one’s breathing.
(All of the information for Pneumonia came from CDC.)
The lower part of a lung is called the lobe, which is why the type of pneumonia in the diagram above is called Lobar pneumonia. The diagram above came from NextCare.
24,963,874 people have asthma in the US. (CDC)
Asthma
Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs, which is common in children, but can happen in adults too. People who have Asthma, experience Asthma attacks, which happen mainly at night or in the morning. If a person has an Asthma attack, they may experience chest tightness, breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing. When people have Asthma, it makes them more vulnerable when exposed to a respiratory disease like Flu, COVID-19, RSV, and Pneumonia. It is important to get vaccines for these diseases, or it could lead to serious illness or death. (CDC.gov)
Types of Asthma
There are many types of asthma and they all impact people in different ways. (nbhi.gov)
Intermittent Asthma: This type of asthma comes and goes, so the person impacted only has symptoms when experiencing an asthma attack.
Persistent Asthma: This type of asthma causes the person affected to experience symptoms most of the time. The symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Pediatric(Childhood) Asthma: Childhood asthma usually starts before the age of 5 and can occur in toddlers and infants. A point to be considered is that children can outgrow asthma, so it is best to talk to a provider before deciding if a child needs an inhaler ready for asthma attacks.
Exercise-induced Asthma: Asthma can also be triggered by exercise, which is called exercise-induced asthma. This type of asthma is triggered by exercise.
Occupational Asthma:If a person is working around chemicals or other irritating substances, they can develop symptoms of asthma. This can also make symptoms worse.
Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS): This type of asthma occurs when a person develops both asthma and COPD. Both of these diseases affect the lungs.
Who Can Get Asthma
Anyone can get asthma, however it is more common in boys as kids and women as adults. Asthma is more common in Puerto Rican and Black or African American people. These people have a higher chance of developing asthma than other groups: Puerto Ricans have a higher chance of getting asthma because of pollution and poor air quality in Puerto Rico, whereas Black people have a higher chance of developing asthma because of limited access to healthcare. Additionally, these communities are more likely to be low income, which can mean that they can live in ares near factories and other factors that can worsen the air quality, which puts them at a higher risk of getting Asthma. (lung.org) Also, people who are obese or overweight can have a higher chance of developing symptoms of asthma.
Statistics in the US
Deaths per year: 3,517 people in the US die from asthma. (CDC)
People who suffer from asthma attacks: 9,818,458 people have had one or more asthma attacks in the past 12 months among people with current asthma in the US. (CDC)
Asthma: 24,963,874 people have asthma in the US. (CDC)
An inhaler helps people with asthma breathe more easily. These are typically used during an Asthma attack, or after straining one’s lungs. Inhalers contain medication called bronchodilator. This medicine is delivered in spray or powdered form and helps people feel relief from their symptoms. Bronchodilators relax the muscles around the airways and help clean out mucus from the lungs. This information came from Cleveland Clinic. Inhalers also use a medicine called Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids have an anti-inflammatory act on your body, and helps with asthma. This information came from Cleveland Clinic.
COPD kills about 3,077,127 people every year.
(nhlbi.nih.gov)
COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is a lung disease that inflames the lungs, therefore blocking oxygen from entering them. There are many types of COPD, including chronic bronchitis and Emphysema. COPD can also damage airways and cause coughing that produces a slimy substance called mucus. COPD is well known to worsen at a slow pace over time and it can limit one’s abilities to do routine activities. Serious COPD can prevent you from doing basic tasks (cooking, cleaning, walking, etc.). As shown above, COPD refers to two main conditions: Chronic bronchitis and Emphysema.
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic (longterm) bronchitis is caused by irritation and inflammation that is constant or repeated in the lining of the airways. Lots of thick mucus, a slimy substance, forms in your airways, causing difficulty breathing.
Emphysema
Emphysema forms when there is damage to the walls between many air sacks in the lungs. Most of these sacks are very stretchy, or elastic. When you inhale, each air sack inflates, like a balloon. In contrast, when you exhale the air is let out. When you have Emphysema, it is very hard for air to be released from your body through the lungs.
Most people with COPD will have a mix of the two conditions in different proportions. It varies from person to person.
Statistics
There are about 3,077,127 deaths caused by COPD per year. Also, about half of the people who are diagnosed with COPD are women.
Treatments
There are many different ways to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD can also be prevented by not smoking, as smoking is a big cause of COPD. However, air pollution plays a bigger role in causing COPD than tobacco.
A few of these treatments are…
Medicines
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Oxygen Therapy
Surgery
Lung Transplant
(The information on COPD came from nhlbi.nih.gov)
