This comprehensive, but practical, reference is an informative guide to the management of acute respiratory problems in the hospital setting. Evaluation of the patient with breathing difficulties is often challenging, since the differential diagnosis is broad and the use of the wrong treatment can exacerbate the problem. This book helps the practising clinician to recognize both common and more unusual causes of respiratory distress in a patient, and assists them in making the correct diagnosis by enhancing their understanding of the application and significance of tests of pulmonary function and pulmonary imaging studies and through improved knowledge of the underlying physiology of acute and chronic respiratory failure that underpins clinical practice in this area. To enhance this 'bench to bedside' approach, authors illustrate their material with helpful management algorithms, and each chapter will conclude with a summary of key points.