respiratory:start
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Respiratory Pharmacology
pharmacology respiratory
Respiratory diseases fall into two fundamentally different categories:
AIRWAY PROBLEM → obstruction & bronchospasm → bronchodilators + inhaled anti-inflammatories
PARENCHYMAL PROBLEM → alveolar injury & fibrosis → antifibrotics & immunosuppression
Obstructive Physiology
Airway Disease
- Problem: Air Cannot Get OUT
- Usually Reversible
Core Disorders
Bronchodilators
Controllers (Reduce Inflammation)
Severe Asthma Biologics
Symptom Relief
Restrictive Physiology
Parenchymal Disease
- Problem: Lung Tissue Cannot Expand
- Usually Progressive
Interstitial Lung Disease
Antifibrotic Therapy
Immune-Mediated Lung Disease Treatment
Key Clinical Distinction
Wheezing → bronchodilators Velcro crackles → antifibrotics
They treat completely different diseases.
High-Yield Comparison
| Feature | Airway Disease | Parenchymal Disease |
|---|---|---|
| Physiology | Obstructive | Restrictive |
| Primary issue | Narrow airways | Scarred alveoli |
| Reversibility | Often reversible | Progressive |
| Main therapy | Bronchodilators ± ICS | Antifibrotics / Immunosuppression |
| Clinical goal | Improve airflow | Slow decline |
How to Think About Dyspnea
Wheeze → airway drugs Crackles → fibrosis drugs Hypoxia out of proportion → ILD workup
This page is intentionally organized by disease mechanism to mirror clinical reasoning rather than memorizing inhalers.
respiratory/start.1771165568.txt.gz · Last modified: by andrew2393cns