respiratory:start
This is an old revision of the document!
Respiratory Pharmacology
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 Of The Lung
- 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.1771166004.txt.gz · Last modified: by andrew2393cns