Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
07:56
Evaluating Regional Pulmonary Deposition using Patient-Specific 3D Printed Lung Models
Published on: November 11, 2020
Environmental lung disease in New Jersey
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, NJ 07112.
New Jersey Medicine : the Journal of the Medical Society of New Jersey
|October 1, 1994
Summary
Environmental factors, both indoors and outdoors, can harm the lungs. Recognizing the growing causes of environmental lung disease is key for diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
Background:
- The lungs are vulnerable to a wide range of environmental exposures.
- These exposures can be infectious or noninfectious, occurring both indoors and outdoors.
- Environmental lung disease is an emerging health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the susceptibility of the lungs to environmental factors.
- To emphasize the importance of awareness regarding the causes of environmental lung disease.
- To underscore the role of diagnostic history in identifying these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on environmental lung disease.
- Analysis of common indoor and outdoor lung insults.
- Emphasis on clinical history and diagnostic criteria.
Main Results:
- Lungs are uniquely susceptible to diverse environmental triggers.
- A growing number of infectious and noninfectious agents contribute to lung conditions.
- Diagnostic challenges exist due to the multifactorial nature of these diseases.
Conclusions:
- Increased awareness of environmental lung disease causes is crucial.
- Thorough patient history is essential for accurate diagnosis.
- Environmental factors represent a significant etiological component of lung pathology.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Common Respiratory Disorders
Respiratory disorders, a prevalent health concern globally, are generally divided into two primary categories: upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. The categorization is based on the area of the respiratory system they affect.
Upper respiratory disorders impact the airways above the vocal cords, encompassing areas like the nose, sinuses, and throat. Various conditions fall under this category, including the common cold and allergic rhinitis. These disorders can stem from several causes,...
Upper respiratory disorders impact the airways above the vocal cords, encompassing areas like the nose, sinuses, and throat. Various conditions fall under this category, including the common cold and allergic rhinitis. These disorders can stem from several causes,...
01:17Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation
In terms of human respiration, the act of expelling air, known as exhalation (or expiration), operates on the principle of pressure gradients. During expiration, the pressure within the lungs exceeds that of the surrounding atmosphere. Under normal conditions, quiet breathing involves passive exhalation and is free of muscular contractions. This is because the exhalation process is driven by the natural elastic recoil of the lungs and chest wall, both of which have an inherent tendency to...
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-lasting respiratory condition requiring continuous attention and care. It is a progressive lung disease that leads to breathing challenges due to airflow obstruction. It manifests as persistent respiratory symptoms and restricted airflow resulting from abnormalities in the airways and alveoli, usually due to long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases. COPD mainly consists of two primary conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
01:23Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease I: Introduction
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, preventable, and treatable respiratory disorder characterized by persistent symptoms and progressive airflow limitation. This limitation results from a combination of small-airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), both driven by chronic inflammation from exposure to harmful particles or gases.The disease includes two main pathological entities: emphysema, marked by destruction of alveolar walls and...
01:23Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema
Emphysema, a major phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by irreversible destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of distal airspaces. Unlike chronic bronchitis, which primarily affects the airways, emphysema predominantly involves the lung parenchyma, where structural damage leads to airflow limitation.PathophysiologyIt most commonly results from prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and other toxic gases, particularly cigarette smoke.
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
Chronic bronchitis is a key phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by airway-centered inflammation and mucus overproduction. It develops from long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, most commonly cigarette smoke, which triggers a persistent inflammatory response.Cellular and Structural ChangesInflammation initially affects the large bronchi and later the smaller airways, with infiltration by immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and...