xxix Preface The ERS Handbook of Respiratory Medicine, first published in 2010, is a comprehensive and easily accessible source of state-of-the-art information on adult respiratory medicine. In addition, it represents an invaluable resource for those preparing for the HERMES examination, those who require revalidation and those who wish to keep their knowledge up to date. As usual, the Handbook is organised into very concise, peer-reviewed chapters, written by leading experts in each specific field of respiratory medicine. In this third edition, a complete revision of earlier versions is provided and, importantly, its content is closely aligned with the updated HERMES Respiratory Medicine syllabus. Although we tried to follow this principle as much as possible, for a complete and exhaustive Handbook, some extra chapters and topics are necessary to offer a comprehensive overview over all relevant topics in respiratory medicine. This third edition of the Handbook includes new sections on: • Inhaled and systemic pharmacotherapy • Allergen-specific immunotherapy • Lung transplantation • Respiratory emergencies • Upper airway disease • Rare airway disease • Congenital airway disease • Aspiration pneumonitis • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis • Arteriovenous malformation • Respiratory consequences of systemic/extrapulmonary conditions • Primary ciliary dyskinesia • D 1 -antitrypsin deficiency • Occupational diseases We are grateful to the ERS Education Council, the ERS publications office and all contributors who made this third edition possible. We hope that you will find this Handbook as useful a resource as the earlier editions and that you enjoy reading and using it! Paolo Palange, Gernot Rohde Chief editors ‘The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.’ Aristotle ERS_Handbook.pdf 29 ERS_Handbook.pdf 8/30/2019 2:11:39 PM 8/30/2019 2:11:39