About 600 million people worldwide suffer from chronic respiratory disease.
The prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases in Portugal and in the world is increasing, namely asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, these pathologies are underdiagnosed and consequently undertreated, leading to high morbidity and mortality.
In this sense, the Clinical Physiology | Pathophysiology Lab @ NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas makes available to the entire community the provision of quality services in the field of lung function, essential for the early detection of respiratory diseases, diagnostic confirmation, evaluation of respiratory repercussions of other conditions or exposure to aggressive agents, assessment of disease progression, monitoring of response to therapy and preoperative assessment.
For about three decades, this service has been developing research work and transferring innovative functional tests into clinical practice. It pioneered in Portugal the transfer into clinical practice of bronchial provocation tests with drugs and the determination of nitric oxide in exhaled air. He has studied the impact of indoor and outdoor pollution on health, particularly respiratory health, through his involvement in several research projects, focusing on new methods of collection and processing of inflammation biomarkers.