Condition Lookup

Chronic Cough

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Symptoms:
persistent cough lasting more than 8 weeks; dry or productive cough; wheezing; shortness of breath; sore throat; fatigue

Root Cause:
Chronic cough is often a symptom of an underlying condition such as asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), post-nasal drip, or chronic bronchitis.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is based on a thorough medical history, physical examination, and ruling out other conditions with tests like chest X-rays, pulmonary function tests, and possibly endoscopy or pH monitoring for GERD.

Treatment:
Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause, such as managing asthma with inhalers, controlling GERD with antacids or proton pump inhibitors, or using decongestants or antihistamines for post-nasal drip.

Medications:
Medications may include bronchodilators like albuterol (a beta-agonist), inhaled corticosteroids (e.g., fluticasone ), antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine ), proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole ), or cough suppressants like dextromethorphan (a non-opioid antitussive). These medications fall into categories of bronchodilators, corticosteroids, antihistamines, proton pump inhibitors, and antitussives.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 10-20% of the adult population. Chronic cough is a common reason for medical visits.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, allergies, asthma, exposure to environmental irritants, respiratory infections, GERD.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis depends on the underlying cause; with appropriate treatment, most cases resolve or improve significantly. If the underlying cause is not treated, the cough may persist.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
If untreated, chronic cough can lead to sleep disturbances, rib fractures, urinary incontinence, or headaches.

Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath)

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Symptoms:
shortness of breath; rapid breathing; feeling of suffocation or tight chest; fatigue

Root Cause:
Dyspnea may result from obstructive pulmonary diseases (e.g., COPD, asthma), heart failure, anemia, anxiety, or pulmonary embolism.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis involves history taking, physical examination, pulse oximetry, chest X-ray, blood tests, and pulmonary function tests to assess lung and heart function.

Treatment:
Treatment targets the underlying cause, including bronchodilators, oxygen therapy, diuretics (for heart failure), or anti-anxiety medications.

Medications:
Common medications include bronchodilators (e.g., albuterol ), corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone for inflammation), oxygen therapy, and diuretics (e.g., furosemide for fluid retention in heart failure). These medications belong to the categories of bronchodilators, corticosteroids, diuretics, and anti-anxiety agents.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Dyspnea is a common symptom in conditions like COPD and heart failure, affecting millions worldwide. It is a major reason for hospital admissions.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, obesity, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, physical inactivity, anxiety.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis depends on the underlying condition. With treatment, many individuals experience improvement, though chronic conditions like COPD may have a progressive course.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Untreated dyspnea can lead to severe hypoxia, fatigue, and reduced quality of life. In chronic cases, it can lead to cardiac or respiratory failure.

Hyperventilation Syndrome

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Symptoms:
rapid breathing; feeling of breathlessness; dizziness; chest tightness; tingling or numbness in fingers and toes; palpitations

Root Cause:
Often triggered by anxiety or panic attacks, hyperventilation leads to a rapid loss of carbon dioxide from the blood, disrupting normal physiological balance.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is largely clinical, based on a history of rapid, shallow breathing, and ruling out other causes through tests like arterial blood gases or a chest X-ray.

Treatment:
Treatment involves breathing retraining techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation exercises, and sometimes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to address underlying anxiety.

Medications:
Medications may include anti-anxiety drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, e.g., fluoxetine ), benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam ), or beta-blockers for palpitations (e.g., propranolol ). These belong to the categories of anxiolytics and beta-blockers.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
It is common in the general population, especially among individuals with anxiety disorders, though exact prevalence is difficult to measure.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Anxiety disorders, panic attacks, stress, hyperthyroidism.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With proper management, individuals can often control symptoms effectively. Chronic hyperventilation is less common and typically improves with behavioral interventions.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic hyperventilation can lead to further anxiety, fainting, or exacerbation of panic attacks.

Pulmonary Eosinophilia

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Symptoms:
cough; shortness of breath; wheezing; fever; fatigue; chest pain

Root Cause:
Pulmonary eosinophilia is characterized by an increase in eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) in the lungs, often triggered by allergies, infections, or autoimmune diseases.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis includes blood tests showing elevated eosinophil counts, chest imaging (CT scan), and sometimes bronchoscopy with biopsy.

Treatment:
Treatment typically involves corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) to reduce inflammation and addressing any underlying causes (e.g., infection or allergy).

Medications:
Common medications include corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) for inflammation and antibiotics if an infection is present. These are classified as corticosteroids and antibiotics.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively rare; more common in individuals with allergies or asthma.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Allergies, asthma, infections (e.g., parasitic), autoimmune diseases.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With treatment, the condition often improves, though recurrence can occur if the underlying cause is not resolved.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Untreated pulmonary eosinophilia may lead to lung damage, fibrosis, or respiratory failure in severe cases.

Interstitial Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Symptoms:
progressive shortness of breath; cough; fatigue; weight loss; chest discomfort; cyanosis

Root Cause:
A rare lung disorder where a substance called surfactant builds up in the alveoli, leading to impaired gas exchange and respiratory distress.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is confirmed through imaging (CT scan showing ground-glass opacities), bronchoalveolar lavage, and sometimes lung biopsy.

Treatment:
The main treatment is whole lung lavage (a procedure to wash out the surfactant buildup), and in some cases, a lung transplant may be necessary.

Medications:
There are no specific medications approved for this condition, but corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) may be used for inflammation in some cases. These are classified as corticosteroids.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very rare, with only a few cases reported worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Most commonly occurs in otherwise healthy adults, with no clear risk factors identified.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Without treatment, the prognosis is poor, but with interventions like lung lavage, many individuals can experience improvements.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
If untreated, the disease can lead to respiratory failure, fibrosis, or secondary infections.

Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (with lung involvement)

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Sub-category: Rare Lung Diseases

Symptoms:
progressive lung disease; breathing difficulties; cyanosis; frequent respiratory infections; clubbing of fingers; fatigue

Root Cause:
Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in one of the HPS genes, which affects the functioning of lysosomes and the transportation of certain proteins, leading to defects in various systems, including the lungs, immune system, and skin. Lung involvement typically results in pulmonary fibrosis and associated breathing difficulties.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, genetic testing to detect mutations in the HPS genes, and imaging studies (such as chest X-rays or CT scans) showing lung abnormalities, especially pulmonary fibrosis.

Treatment:
Treatment primarily focuses on managing symptoms and complications. Pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, and managing respiratory infections are essential. Lung transplantation may be considered in severe cases.

Medications:
No specific medication targets the underlying defect in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. However, medications like corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory), bronchodilators (to relieve breathing difficulty), and antifibrotic agents (such as pirfenidone or nintedanib ) may be prescribed to manage symptoms of lung fibrosis. Antibiotics are used to treat respiratory infections.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; the exact prevalence is not well established, but it is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 500,000 individuals worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic mutations in the HPS genes, family history of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis is variable, with lung involvement leading to a progressive decline in lung function, potentially resulting in respiratory failure. Lifespan can be shortened without proper management or lung transplantation.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Respiratory failure, recurrent respiratory infections, severe pulmonary fibrosis, bleeding tendencies (due to platelet dysfunction), and vision problems (due to retinal issues).

Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome

Specialty: Pulmonology

Category: Other Respiratory Conditions

Sub-category: Rare Lung Diseases

Symptoms:
lung cysts; spontaneous pneumothorax; chronic cough; dyspnea; fatigue; recurrent lung infections

Root Cause:
Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the FLCN gene, which leads to dysfunction in the protein folliculin. This condition affects multiple organs, including the lungs, leading to the formation of cysts in the lungs and an increased risk of spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis involves clinical evaluation, family history, and imaging studies such as CT scans of the chest, which often show characteristic lung cysts. Genetic testing to identify mutations in the FLCN gene confirms the diagnosis.

Treatment:
Treatment is symptomatic and may involve managing pneumothorax episodes with chest tubes or surgery to prevent recurrence. In some cases, lung transplantation may be needed. Other management includes monitoring for kidney tumors (which are also common in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome) and routine surveillance for skin tumors.

Medications:
There are no specific medications to treat Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome itself, but medications such as corticosteroids (for inflammation), bronchodilators (for wheezing or shortness of breath), and oxygen therapy (for respiratory difficulties) may be used to manage symptoms. If pneumothorax occurs, a chest tube may be necessary.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very rare; it is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 200,000 individuals, though the exact prevalence is difficult to determine.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic mutations in the FLCN gene, family history of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
The prognosis is variable; individuals with lung involvement often experience recurrent pneumothorax. If lung function is well-managed and no severe complications occur, life expectancy may be near normal, although the risk of spontaneous pneumothorax remains.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spontaneous pneumothorax, lung collapse, chronic lung disease, and kidney tumors (which can be malignant). Long-term complications may involve the need for lung transplantation in severe cases.