Learning | Respiratory tract diseases

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: clinical phenotypes and implications for management

Phenotyping patients with chronic obsructive pulmonary disease allows their separation into distinct categories that differentiate their prognosis and response to treatment, producing clinically meaningful outcomes.…

Oxygen therapy: emergency use and long term treatment

Emergency oxygen treatment is used two million times a year by ambulance services, and almost one in five hospital patients in the UK are being treated with oxygen at any one time.…

Inhaled corticosteroids: managing side effects

Inhaled corticosteroids are commonly prescribed but need careful management to minimise the risk of side effects.…

Asthma: long-term management

Asthma management is based on a stepwise approach that should see medicines added or stopped based on patient symptoms.…

Asthma: pathophysiology, causes and diagnosis

Despite asthma affecting more than 5.4 million people in the UK, there is no gold standard test and diagnosis is based on signs and symptoms.…

What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

The ‘ice bucket challenge’ was started to raise awareness of ALS; find out more about this fatal neurodegenerative condition.…

Theophylline interactions

Can someone start nicotine replacement therapy while taking theophylline to manage COPD?…

Knowing the differences between COPD and asthma is vital to good practice

This content was published in 2011. We do not recommend that you take any clinical decisions based on this information without first ensuring you have checked the latest guidance. The “Outcomes strategy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma” was launched in July 20…

How to interpret arterial blood gas results

The ideal pH of extracellular fluid is 7.35–7.45. Maintaining this pH requires a delicate balance between carbon dioxide (which dissociates in the blood to form carbonic acid and, therefore, hydrogen ions) and bicarbonate (produced primarily by the kidneys). If there is a disturbance in pH the bod…

How to interpret spirometry readings

Spirometry is necessary for correctly diagnosing patients with respiratory disorders, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. But spirometry alone cannot ensure the assessment is accurate…