Key points
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Bronchodilators relax airway smooth muscle and are widely used in adults and children. The most frequently used are β-sympathomimetic agonists.
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Oral or intravenous steroids are the main treatment of acute asthma and also hasten recovery in acute COPD exacerbations. However, side-effects are seen with long-term treatment.
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Antibiotic treatment should be tailored to the specific infecting organism(s). This is particularly important in tuberculosis due to the increasing frequency of drug-resistant strains.
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The main methods of mechanical ventilatory support are: intermittent positive pressure ventilation, noninvasive ventilation and continuous positive airway pressure.
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Surgery is the treatment of choice for nonsmall cell lung cancer; surgical treatment is also used for selected patients with nonmalignant disease, including removal of benign tumours, lung volume reduction and pleural disease.
See the entire Principles of respiratory therapy Chapter