SOURCE :
        Harrison's Pulmonary And Critical Care Medicine - 2010

    AUTHORS :
        JOSEPH LOSCALZO, MD, PhD

    SUMMARY :
        Pulmonary diseases are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in the general population.Although advances in the diagnosis and treatment of many common pulmonary disorders have improved the lives of patients, these complex illnesses continue to affect a large segment of the global population.The impact of cigarette smoking cannot be underestimated in this regard, especially given the growing prevalence of tobacco use in the developing world. Pulmonary medicine is, therefore, of critical global importance to the field of internal medicine.
        Pulmonary medicine is a growing subspecialty and includes a number of areas of disease focus, including reactive airways diseases, chronic obstructive lung disease, environmental lung diseases, and interstitial lung diseases. Furthermore, pulmonary medicine is linked to the field of critical care medicine, both cognitively and as a standard arm of the pulmonary fellowship training programs at most institutions.
        The breadth of knowledge in critical care medicine extends well beyond the respiratory system, of course, and includes selected areas of cardiology, infectious diseases, nephrology, and hematology. Given the complexity of these disciplines and the crucial role of the internist in guiding the management of patients with chronic lung diseases and in helping to guide the management of patients in the intensive care setting, knowledge of the discipline is essential for competency in the field of internal medicine.
        The scientific basis of many pulmonary disorders and intensive care medicine is rapidly expanding. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, as well as prognostic assessment strategies, populate the published literature with great frequency. Maintaining updated knowledge of these evolving areas is, therefore, essential for the optimal care of patients with lung diseases and critical illness.
        In view of the importance of pulmonary and critical care medicine to the field of internal medicine and the speed with which the scientific basis of the discipline is evolving, this Sectional was developed. The purpose of this book is to provide the readers with an overview of the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. To achieve this end, this Sectional comprises the key pulmonary and critical care medicine chapters in Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th edition, contributed by leading experts in the fields.This Sectional is designed not only for physicians-in-training, but also for medical students, practicing clinicians, and other health care professionals who seek to maintain adequately updated knowledge of this rapidly advancing field. The editors believe that this book will improve the reader’s knowledge of the discipline, as well as highlight its importance to the field of internal medicine.

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