This comprehensive, student-focused textbook provides the fundamental knowledge that respiratory care students need as they enter the health care field. For more than 30 years, instructors have relied on Egan's for the most accurate, timely information on pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of neonatal, pediatric, and adult diseases of the chest. Fundamental concepts are addressed in easy-to-follow discussions on respiratory anatomy and physiology, patient assessment, basic therapeutics, and acute and critical care. The 8th edition continues this book's gold-standard tradition with a brand new, full-color design and thoroughly updated content, including new chapters on neonatal and pediatric disorders and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. It also features new and expanded coverage on smoking cessation, hemodynamic monitoring, stress testing, polysomnography, and more. Instructor resources are available to qualified adopters; contact your sales representative for more information. Short, critical-thinking vignettes in each chapter, called Mini Clinis, raise questions and expose students to possible problems they may encounter during actual patient care. Rule of Thumb icons in each chapter highlight rules, formula, and key points that help readers learn concepts important to clinical practice. Excerpts of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), developed by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), give important information regarding indications/contraindications, hazards and complications, assessment of need, assessment of outcome, and monitoring to familiarize readers with using CPGs in the practice setting. Learning Objectives tell readers what is important about each chapter, often paralleling the three areas tested on the NBRC exam: recall, analysis, and application. Therapist-Driven Protocols (TDPs) - decision trees developed by hospitals - help RTs assess a patient, initiate care, and evaluate outcomes. Key terms tell readers what terms will be learned by studying the chapter. Key Point Summaries highlight key content at the end of each chapter in a bulleted section. Current issues related to assessment and treatment of chest diseases are covered, including neonatal, pediatric, and adult diseases of the chest. New chapters on neonatal & pediatric disorders and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) provide essential information on these important areas. All chapters have been reviewed and rewritten to reflect changes in the field and the most up-to-date material to prepare students for careers as RTs in today's health-care environment, including: an added discussion on smoking cessation (Chapter 44), polysomnography (Chapter 27), and arterial blood gas sampling (Chapter 16). Full color throughout makes the text more reader-friendly and drawing out special features. New illustrations highlight and clarify important concepts discussed the text.