The respiratory therapist (RT) has graduated from being a technician for the equipment needed for patients with lung disease to a key member of the hospital medical team. In this update of the 1998 edition, Wilkins (respiratory care, U. of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio) and colleagues at Loma Linda U. School of Medicine introduce 20 chapters reflecting advances in assessing and treating patients with such disorders as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and TB. The text includes new case studies, clinical simulation exams (with a bookmark to cover answers), chest radiographs, a glossary, normal lab values, current standards of care, and Web resources. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)