Most people take breathing for granted.
It's second nature, an involuntary reflex. But for thousands of Americans who suffer from breathing problems, each breath is a major accomplishment. Those people include patients with chronic lung problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, but they also include heart attack and accident victims, premature infants, and people with cystic fibrosis or lung cancer. Respiratory care practitioners evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. The Role of The Respiratory Care Practitioner There are more than 100,000 respiratory care practitioners in the United States.