The Respiratory System at a Glance -- Table of Contents -- Preface to third edition -- Units and symbols -- List of abbreviations -- Structure of the respiratory system: lungs, airways and dead space -- The thoracic cage and respiratory muscles -- Pressures and volumes during normal breathing -- Gas laws -- Diffusion -- Lung mechanics: elastic forces -- Lung mechanics: airway resistance -- Carriage of oxygen -- Carriage of carbon dioxide -- Control of acid-base balance -- Control of breathing I : chemical mechanisms -- Control of breathing II : neural mechanisms -- Pulmonary circulation and anatomical right-to-left shunts -- Ventilation-perfusion mismatching -- Exercise, altitude and diving -- Development of the respiratory system and birth -- Complications of development and congenital disease -- Lung defence mechanisms and immunology -- History and examination -- Pulmonary function tests -- Chest imaging and bronchoscopy -- Public health and smoking -- Respiratory failure -- Asthma: pathophysiology -- Asthma: treatment -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- Pulmonary hypertension -- Venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism -- Pulmonary vasculitis -- Diffuse parenchymal (interstitial) lung diseases -- Sarcoidosis -- Pleural diseases -- Occupational and environmental-related lung disease -- Cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis -- Pneumothorax -- Community-acquired pneumonia -- Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pneumonia -- Pulmonary tuberculosis -- The immunocompromised host -- Lung cancer -- Acute respiratory distress syndrome -- Mechanical ventilation -- Oxygenation and oxygen therapy -- Sleep apnoea -- Case studies: questions -- Case studies: answers -- Self-assessment questions -- Answers -- Index.