Although chronic obstructive lung disease, asthma, bronchiectasis, and bronchiolitis have very different causes, clinical features, and therapies, they share the same underlying pathophysiology. They are referred to as obstructive lung diseases because airway narrowing causes increased resistance and slowing of expiratory gas flow. Mechanical ventilation of patients with severe obstructive lung disease often produces two problems that must be recognized and effectively managed: over-ventilation and dynamic hyperinflation. Severe Obstructive Lung Disease reviews these two major adverse consequences of mechanical ventilation in patients with severe air flow obstruction. The chapter explains how to detect and correct both of these problems and provides guidelines for managing patients with respiratory failure caused by severe obstructive lung disease.
The protective effect of a beta 2 agonist against excessive airway narrowing in response to bronchoconstrictor stimuli in asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.
