Pulmonary diseases are also known as lung diseases. These disease affects the organs and tissues of the Lungs/organs and result into gaseous exchange and also result into difficulty in air-breathing animals.

The condition of respiratory and pulmonary organs includes:

The trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleurae, pleural cavity, and muscles of respiration. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting, such as the common cold, to life-threatening diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, acute asthma, lung cancer, and severe acute respiratory syndromes.

Restrictive lung diseases

Restrictive lung diseases are characterized by the loss of lung compliance and results in incomplete lung expansion and increase the lung stiffness, such as in infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

Chronic respiratory disease

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are the long-term diseases which affects the airways and other structures of the lung. CRD are characterized by an inflammatory cell engagement (neutrophil) and/or destructive cycle of infection, (e.g. mediated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Most common are asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CRDs are not curable but there are many forms of treatment which can help to dilate major air passages and can improve the shortness of breath and help in controlling symptoms and increase the quality of life.

Respiratory tract infections

Respiratory tract infections are the infections that can affect any part of the respiratory system. These infections are divided into upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections.

Upper respiratory tract infection

Upper respiratory tract infections most common infection is the common cold. And infections of specific organs of the upper respiratory tract also consist of sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, otitis media and laryngitis.

Lower respiratory tract infection

Lower respiratory tract infections most common infection is pneumonia, and infection of the lungs usually caused by bacteria, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae. Tuberculosis is also cause of pneumonia. Pathogens like viruses and fungi can also cause pneumonia for example severe acute respiratory syndrome and pneumocystis pneumonia. And pneumonia can develop complications like lung abscess, a round cavity in the lung caused by the infection and spread to the pleural cavity.

Poor oral hygiene can also be a contributing factor to lower respiratory disorders which can be fatal.

Tumors

Malignant tumors

Malignant tumors are the primary carcinomas of the lungs and have a major health problem responsible for 15% cancer diagnoses and 30% cancer deaths. The majority of respiratory system cancers causes due to smoking tobacco.

The histological types of respiratory cancer are:

• Small cell lung cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Adenocarcinoma of the lung
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
• Large cell lung carcinoma
• Other lung cancers like carcinoid, Kaposi’s sarcoma, melanoma
• Lymphoma
• Head and neck cancer
• Pleural mesothelioma, can caused by exposure to asbestos dust.

Treatment of respiratory system cancer is usually depending on the type of that particular cancer. Surgical removal of part of a lung (lobectomy, segmentectomy, or wedge resection) is also helpful and entire lung pneumonectomy), along with chemotherapy and radiotherapy used. Chance of surviving lung cancer is depending on the stage of cancer at that particular time the cancer is diagnosed.

Benign tumors

Benign tumors are the rare causes of respiratory disease. Benign tumors are:

• Pulmonary hamartoma
• Congenital malformations

Pleural cavity diseases

The collection of fluid in the pleural cavity is known as a pleural effusion. This may cause due to fluid float from the bloodstream into the pleural cavity due to conditions such as congestive heart failure and cirrhosis. This can also due to inflammation of the pleura can occur with infection, pulmonary embolus, tuberculosis, mesothelioma and other conditions of pleural cavity.

A pneumothorax is defined as a hole in the pleura covering the lung and the allowing air in lung to escape into the pleural cavity. Due to this condition the affected lung "collapses" like a deflated balloon.

Pulmonary vascular disease

Pulmonary vascular diseases are conditions which can affect the pulmonary circulation.

Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot which forms in a vein, breaks free, and run through the heart and lodges in the lungs (thromboembolism)and make a clot there. Pulmonary emboli are fatal many times and causing sudden death. Most of the times this is idiopathic (i.e. of unknown cause) but it can cause due to the certain effects of another diseases which particularly COPD. And can lead to strain or pressure on the right side of the heart. This condition is known as corpulmonale.

• In this there may be Pulmonary edema, fluid leakage from capillaries of the lung into the air spaces. This is usually due to congestive heart failure.
• There may be pulmonary hemorrhage, swelling/inflammation and damage to capillaries in the lung can result into blood leaking into the alveoli. This can also cause blood to be pushed up.

Respiratory symptoms and disorders, including:

• Chronic cough
• Wheezing
• Recurrent respiratory infections and pneumonia
• Exercise limitation
• Asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Lung diseases of premature babies consist of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• Primary ciliary dyskinesia
• Sleep-disordered breathing including obstructive apnea
• Respiratory failure and ventilator dependency
• Congenital abnormalities of airway and lung development
• Rare lung diseases includes interstitial lung disease and bronchiolitis obliterans

Advanced diagnostic capabilities

A Pediatric pulmonary function laboratory equipped to perform:

• Methacholine challenge testing
• Exhaled nitric oxide testing
• Nasal nitric oxide testing
• Sweat tests
• Exercise testing
• Exercise testing
• Flexible bronchoscopy
• Bronchoalveolar lavage
• High-resolution chest imaging
• Combined procedures
• Genetic testing
• Ciliary and lung biopsies
• Skin allergy testing

Diagnosis

Respiratory diseases may be investigated by performing following tests;

• Biopsy of the lung or pleura
• Blood test
• Bronchoscopy
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan
• Culture of microorganisms
• Ultrasound scanning
• Pulmonary function test
• Ventilation–perfusion scan