Read more about the article Introduction to Respiratory Exam
Auscultation of the chest. This patient still has his T-shirt on. Do NOT do this in your OSCE!

Introduction to Respiratory Exam

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The article provides a brief overview of the respiratory examination. For a detailed walk-through please see the Respiratory Exam article. INTRODUCTION Wash hands Check patient name/DOB/hospital number Introduce- “My name is…” Consent…

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Read more about the article Leukotriene Antagonists
Drugs in medicine

Leukotriene Antagonists

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Introduction These are given in oral tablet form and are used to treat severe chronic asthma. They are only ever used in conjunction with corticosteroids. Mechanism They block the LTD4…

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Read more about the article Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer on CT

Lung Cancer

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Introduction When we talk about lung cancer, we are generally referring to tumour of the bronchus. 95% of lung cancers are carcinoma of the bronchus 2% are alveolar tumours 3%…

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Pleural Effusion

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Introduction A pleural effusion is the accumulation of fluid within the pleural space. In healthy individuals a small amount of fluid exists in this space to help lubricate movement of the…

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Pneumoconiosis

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Introduction Pneumoconiosis is a term used to describes a range of interstitial lung diseases caused by inhalation of mineral dusts, resulting in interstitial fibrosis. They are usually occupational diseases (but…

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Pneumonia (Adults)

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This article describes adult respiratory tract infection. For more information, please see paediatric respiratory infections Introduction Pneumonia is a common lower respiratory tract infection, characterised by inflammation of the lung…

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Pneumonia (Children)

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Introduction Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, characterised by inflammation of the lung parenchyma and production of fluid in the alveoli. It is technically a type of bronchitis (infection…

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Read more about the article Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax. Image from Wikimedia Commons. Author: BruceBlaus

Pneumothorax

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Introduction A pneumothorax is an abnormal collection of air in the pleural space - between the lung and the chest wall. They can be: Primary – no underlying lung disease. Secondary…

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Psittacosis (Ornithosis)

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Introduction Psittacosis (aka Ornithosis) is an infectious disease, sometimes associated with an atypical pneumonia, caused by the gram-negative bacterium Chalmydia psittaci. It is usually transmitted to humans from birds. It is contracted through…

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