Pulmonology

If you’ve been following my blog you know that at the Eustache Institute we specialize in neurofeedback therapy. However, an additional treatment we proudly provide is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, allowing our lungs to gather more oxygen than would be possible breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure. Our blood will then carry the oxygen throughout our body and our organs, helping to fight bacteria while stimulating the…

People are diagnosed every year with diseases that affect the respiratory system. One specific disease that can affect the respiratory system is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; commonly referred to as COPD. Currently over “64 million people have COPD and it is the third leading cause of death worldwide” (WHO, 2013). Several factors cause the disease and symptoms are hard to detect in earlier stages. COPD can shorten a person’s life span and cause immeasurable physical disabilities, as…

A medical ventilator is a machine designed to mechanically move breathable air or air/oxygen mixture into and out of the lungs. They are used in patients that are physically unable to breathe or breathe enough to exchange oxygen. Because failure to exchange blood gasses can result in death, ventilators are considered life-critical machines. A patient who is not breathing can be ventilated with an Ambu bag and a mask operated by hand. Ventilators provide a machine-assisted breath that can be…

Of many debilitating conditions that are out there in the world, one I want to discuss is a condition known as scoliosis. This can be very debilitating and in some extreme cases can affect respiratory function. What will be discussed is what scoliosis is and what it does to the body, who and how many people are affected by it as well as who is most likely to develop this condition, the signs and symptoms of the disease, how to identify scoliosis and prognosis of this degenerative condition.…

Cigarettes consist of many harmful chemicals. One of those chemicals is Nicotine which is a highly toxic substance that causes many respiratory diseases like respiratory muscle paralysis, it also negatively affects the central nervous system. Nevertheless, scientific researches proved that the concentration of Nicotine in cigarettes increased by 16% in the time period between 1998 and 2004 according to the Massachusetts department of public health. Since Nicotine is an addictive substance, this…

As an emergency room nurse, pneumonia is a common diagnosis seen on an ordinary basis. The Mayo Clinic defines pneumonia as "infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs" (www.mayoclinic.org). Pneumonia can occur at any age. Frequent causes of pneumonia are bacteria, fungi, and a virus. Aspirating food and liquids can also cause pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is common in the elderly population due to dysphasia. The American Lung Association (2016) states that pneumonia is not…

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) – the most common form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia – is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disease that affects older adults. IPF is characterized by a continuing decline in lung function, poor survival, and limited therapeutic options. The invasive proliferation of fibrous tissue and scarring of the interstitium lead to a decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) (Richeldi et al. 2014). IPF has a poor prognosis; the median survival for the disease is…

Secretion Clearance Assistance Methods Neuromuscular Compromised Patients Emily Martin RES600 Professor Erwin Monday May 2nd 2016 Introduction: Evidence based medicine (EBM) is a current aspect of health care that is relevant for many reasons in respiratory therapy. This paper will examine what EBM is by looking at the concept of non-pharmacological secretion clearance methods, and how it is relevant within the realm of Respiratory Therapy, specifically for the neuromuscular compromised…

Physical Therapy is very beneficial to many of the body systems. Further investigation towards the effects of respiratory muscle training for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is critical. Exercise therapy is a regular component in the management of various (chronic) disorders, such as musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory disorders. Respiratory diseases are defined as a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it difficult to breathe.…

I1. You walk into Anna’s room and on initial assessment you found Anna is restless. The patient care tech just finished doing the vital signs on Anna and handed over it to you; BP: 170/84 mm Hg Pulse: 122 beats/minute Respirations: 40/minute Pulse Oximetry: 96% on the BiPAP Oral Temperature: 98.6F (Her last ABG done 30 minutes before shows pH of 7.38, Pco2 of 40, Po2 of 110, and HCo3 of 24) Anna is found restless, pulling on to the mask trying to remove it and the patient care tech is…