Risk Factors Associated With Respiratory Health Problems

1. Obstructive pulmonary disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, bronchitis.

• asthma - allergies, genetic disposition
• COPD - primarily smoking, exposure to lung irritants, immunological factors
• cystic fibrosis - genetic transmission
• bronchitis - smoking, exposure to pulmonary irritants, air pollution, exposure to infectious disease

2. Restrictive pulmonary disorders such as atelectasis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), flail chest, pulmonary contusion and sleep apnea.

• atelectasis - surgery, trauma, penumonia or other respiratory disorders (COPD), prolonged bedrest, mechanical ventilation
• ARDS - shock, trauma, smoke inhalation, any cardiac or repiratory event, often unknown
• sleep apnea - obesity, COPD, smoking, aging process

3. Pneumonia - aging process, compromised respiratory conditions, debilirating diseases, lack of vaccine in at risk individuals.

4. Tuberculosis - individuals positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), immirants and disadvantaged group, environment (overcrowding, poor ventilation)

5. Pleural effusion - surgery, trauma, inflammation, malignancy or other respiratory disorder

6. Pleuritis - none, usually secondary to other respiratory conditions

7. Pneumothorax - smoking, taruma, men (tall, young, thin chest), family history, underlying respiratory diseases (COPD, ARDS, cystic, fibrosis, asthma)

8. Pulmonary embolism - deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots in other areas, chronic bedrest, hypercoagulability, surgery, heart conditions (CHF), myocardial infarction (MI), obesity, women taking oral estrogen, hormones or contraceptives

9. Pulmonary hypertension - young women in their 30s to 40s (primary), smoking, chronic lung disease, sleep apnea, obesity, neuromuscular disease, heart conditions leading to hypoxemia (secondary)

10. Lung cancer - smoking, lung irritants, family history, air pollution

11. Respiratory failure - other respiratory conditions or respiratory dysfunction (COPD, pneumonia)