The human respiratory system consists of series of organs responsible for breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. The primary respiratory organs are the lungs which are responsible for the exchange of gases.
The red blood cells collect the oxygen from lungs and carry it to the different parts of the body. The red blood cells collect the carbon dioxide and transports it back to the lungs, and when we exhale it leaves carbon dioxide.
We require oxygen to sustain ourselves. A complete lack of oxygen is known as anoxia and a decrease in oxygen is known as anoxia, these can lead to serious conditions. Few minutes without oxygen and you are dead, the brain cells begin to die, this leads to brain damage and cause of death.
Diseases of the respiratory system
The respiratory diseases and its conditions fall in the following categories:
- Viruses such as influenza
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Enterovirus respiratory virus that has been diagnosed in children
- Chronic diseases, such as asthma. In asthma the lung airways cause wheezing, cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness. The symptoms may get worse, if the person is exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, factory smokes, pollens, cold sir, chemicals and medications.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), intersection of three related conditions:chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It makes extremely difficult for the person to breath in.
Smoking causes lung cancer, but it affects non- smokers as well. Lung cancer is caused by the uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells.
Diagnosing and treating respiratory ailments
Pulmonologist treat the respiratory diseases including the lungs. Diagnosis of respiratory disease include chest x-rays and a pulmonary. PFT measures how well your lungs take in air and release air and how well they circulate the oxygen throughout your body.
For COPD, patients actually benefit from respiratory rehabilitation.