Pneumology

The Pneumology Department in MediClinic aims to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all the pathologies that affect the respiratory apparatus. In particular, our physicians can handle with chronic and acute diseases (for example asthma, Cronich Obstrutive Pulmunary Disease – COPD, bronchiectasis, pneumonias) and with pathologic conditions like persistent cough, shortness in breath and snoring.

A first pneumology consult include a clinical exam and the possible diagnostic exams that may be necessary. After the first consult, the patient should schedule a yearly follow-up, or sooner, according to the pathology.

Who should schedule this appointment?

The Pneumology Department treats patients this pathologies or symptoms that affect the respiratory apparatus, including pathologies that affect other parts of the body but that have secondary repercussions at a respiratory level (for example cardiopathies, allergies, ENT, rheumatologic or gastroenterological diseases). We can perform non-invasive exams to study the respiratory functionality, as patency and airways volumetry (spirometry), the oxygen saturation (nocturnal and extemporaneous pulse oximetry) and the nocturnal ventilatory profile (nocturnal cardiorespiratory monitor). These exams allow to our physicians to diagnose and monitor obstructive/restrictive pathologies. The Pneumology Department in MediClinic collaborates with other physicians, in order to provide appropriate diagnosis even in case of complex pathologies or to support other physicians that, during their exams, find out pathologies that affect the respiratory system.

Obstructive breath diseases

One of the main aims of this outpatient service is to diagnose the presence of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, airways damage due to cigarettes or other inhalants smoke) to prevent the progression of the disease and possible complications (chronic pulmonary heart, polycythemia, cerebral-vascular and cardio-vascular diseases). This diagnosis is performed with specific and detailed exams, in order to achieve the most accurate diagnosis. The bronchial asthma is a widely spread pathology; its symptoms can appear at every age and they can compromise the quality of life and the conduction of normal activities. The Pneumology Department in MediClinic takes particularly care of patients affected by bronchial asthma, proving an accurate initial diagnosis and a series of long-term follow-ups, in order to monitor the pathology during the time and to prevent future flareup episodes.

Obstructive Sleep Apneas Syndrome (OSAS)

At the Pneumology Department it is possible to perform the Obstructive Sleep Apneas (OSAS) test, with a device that monitor the oxygen saturation and the cardiac frequency (polysomnography / nocturnal cardiorespiratory monitor). The OSAS affects mainly, but not only, patients with snoring and weight problems, and can appear with different symptoms (daily tiredness, sensation of non-restoring nocturnal sleep, morning headache, tendency to sleep during the day). The OSAS can provoke a non-controlled arterial hypertension, recurrent headaches, cardiac and cerebral ischemia (stroke or heart attack). Frequently this pathology is not correctly diagnosticated, but MediClinic can diagnoses it with a simple and non-invasive exam, the polysomnography. This exam lasts a few hours and can provide an appropriate therapeutic program, customized for each patient.

Non-pneumological pathologies with respiratory symptoms

Pathologies like persistent/recurrent cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux, chronic rhinosinusitis, allergies, shortness in breath (dyspnea), hypodynamic hypoventilation in obese patients or arthro-muscular diseases (kyphoscoliosis, arthrosis, rheumatologic pathologies) are not considered as pneumological disease, but that can cause serious respiratory symptoms.

Our Pneumologists collaborate with the Cardiologists to manage the cardiorespiratory diseases; they collaborate with the Otorhinolaryngologists to treat pathologies kike rhinosinusitis or snoring, or with the Gastroenterologists to manage persistent cough or bronchial asthma caused by the gastroesophageal reflux. They also work together with the Allergologist to treat the allergic ocular-rhinitis with respiratory complications or with the Nutritionist to manage overweight patients with snoring problems, with OSAS or with obesity-hypoventilation syndrome.

Why choose MediClinic?

The MediClinic Pneumology Department aims to prevent and diagnosis respiratory diseases, proposing customized therapies for each patient. We take particular attention to:

• customize the therapy, because each patient is different from the other ones and need appropriate attentions and indications
• short waiting times, because Health is our priority. Several pathologies must be promptly identified and diagnosed, in order to provide an appropriate treatment. Our main aim is the improvement of the patient’s prognosis and of his/her lifestyle
• multidisciplinary approach: every apparatus exists and functions together with the whole organism.

Sometimes pathologies that affect an organ/apparatus can condition other districts with symptoms and dysfunctions: our multidisciplinary approach provide a prompt diagnosis and an adequate treatment for all the primary and secondary symptoms that a pathology can cause. The Pneumology Department allow to the patients to find a solution for his/her pathologies, proving professionality, efficiency and all the attentions that he/she needs.