Kathryn Melamed

What every physician needs to know: Underwater diving using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) has become a common recreational activity. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors has issued >23 million entry-level certifications since 1967. SCUBA diving is inherently risky, as participants are submerged in a hostile environment where they are at risk for potential life-threatening…

What every physician needs to know: Bullous lung disease is characterized by the development of bullae within the lung parenchyma. A bulla is a permanent, air-filled space within the lung parenchyma that is at least 1 cm in size and has a thin or poorly defined wall; it is bordered only by remnants of alveolar…

What every physician needs to know: Asthma is common disease in both adults and children. It ranks as the second leading cause of hospital admission for children. Accurate determination of the prevalence of asthma is difficult, however, because clinicians and researchers use many definitions of the disorder. Presentations of asthma are variable, and an understanding…

What every physician needs to know: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a life-threatening disorder characterized clinically by the presence of hemoptysis, falling hematocrit, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and hypoxemic respiratory failure. DAH should be considered a medical emergency due to the morbidity and mortality associated with failure to treat the disorder promptly. The treatment of DAH…