You may take breathing for granted, thinking that it is just an involuntary reflex action. But for the millions of people who suffer from respiratory diseases, each breath is a major accomplishment. Those people include patients with chronic lung problems, such as asthma, bronchitis,and emphysema, but they also include heart attack and accident victims,premature infants, and people with cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, or AIDS. In this booklet, however, we propose to discuss some of the common respiratory diseases.

The human respiratory system not only provides oxygen to each cell of the body but also removes body wastes, filters out infectious agents, and provides air needed for speech.Although the lungs are able to with stand abuse in the form of smoke and other pollutants, a number of disorders impair its function. Some of these maladies are temporary and relatively harmless; others may be life-threatening. Any chronic breathing problem or other cough should be checked promptly. Take care of your lungs and they will take care of you.

The information in this booklet is not intended as medical advice - the doctor knows best. This booklet only intends to help patients make informed decisions.