Smoke InhalationMedical Author:
Christopher P Holstege, MD
Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Wildfire Smoke - Gets In Your LungsMedical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM
In the medical world, the fallout from the fires may be exactly that… Top Searched Fire & Wildfire Smoke Terms
smoke inhalation symptoms, pneumonia from smoke, how to treat, signs
, prevention
Smoke Inhalation OverviewThe number one cause of death related to fires is smoke inhalation. An estimated 50%-80% of fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation injuries rather than burns. Smoke inhalation occurs when you breathe in the products of combustion during a fire. Combustion results from the rapid breakdown of a substance by heat (more commonly called burning). Smoke is a mixture of heated particles and gases. It is impossible to predict the exact composition of smoke produced by a fire. The products being burned, the temperature of the fire, and the amount of oxygen available to the fire all make a difference in the type of smoke produced. Viewer Comments & ReviewsSmoke Inhalation - CausesThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What was the cause of your smoke inhalation? |
Every
summer the risk for forest fires are greater in climates with a lot
of underbrush and tree growth. Often people have just minutes to
grab a few items before they are forced to evacuate their home. The number of people evacuated and the number of homes destroyed are
hard to comprehend at times. But as the fires die down, the television cameras will move
to the next story, and the stories from wildefires will be replaced by
the next catastrophe. 
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Smoke Inhalation
Bronchitis Overview
Bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the air passages within the lungs. It occurs when the trachea (windpipe) and the large and small bronchi (airways) within the lungs become inflamed because of infection or irritation from other causes.
- The thin mucous lining of these airways can become irritated and swollen.
- The cells that make up this lining may leak fluids in response to the inflammation.
- Coughing is a reflex that works to clear secretions from the lungs. Often the discomfort of a severe cough leads a person to seek medical treatment.
- Both adults and children can get bronchitis. Symptoms are similar for both.
- Infants usually get bronchiolitis, which involves the smaller airways and causes symptoms similar to asthma.
- Asthmatic bronchitis occurs when asthma and bronchitis coexist. Asthma is an inflammatory airway condition ...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Smoke Inhalation »
Smoke inhalation (SI) was described as early as the first century AD, when Pliny reported the execution of prisoners by exposure to the smoke of greenwood fires.
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