Allergic Respiratory Diseases: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Respiratory diseases are the pathological conditions that affect the tissues and organs of the respiratory system such as the upper respiratory tract, pleura and pleural cavity, alveoli, bronchi, bronchioles, trachea, the nerves and muscles of breathing. Allergic respiratory diseases are caused due to exposure to an allergen. Asthma is a common allergic respiratory disease affecting nearly 300 million people worldwide. It is an inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs, and is characterized by recurring symptoms like airway obstruction and bronchospasm. Avoiding exposures to allergens and irritants, inhaling corticosteroids and use of long-acting beta agonists are the chief strategies for the management of asthma. Sinusitis is another respiratory disease that can be caused by allergies. It is strongly correlated to asthma. The condition allergic fungal sinusitis occurs in people with nasal polyps and asthma. Allergic respiratory diseases are diagnosed by performing a blood test, chest X-ray, biopsy of the lung or pleura, bronchoscopy, etc. Several medications may be used to block allergic mediators and their actions, such as antihistamines, epinephrine, glucocorticoids, etc. This book brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of allergic respiratory diseases. It includes some of the vital pieces of work being conducted across the world, on the causes, symptoms and treatments of such conditions. Those in search of information to further their knowledge will be greatly assisted by this book.