呼吸学为探讨呼吸器官疾病之一门学问，又称之为胸腔医学。近年来因为重症医学的发展迅速，因此在许多国家将重症医学列入了胸腔医学之范畴之内，称之为胸腔暨重症加护医学。

呼吸学又可以细分为数个细项：

Pulmonology is a medical speciality that deals with diseases involving the respiratory tract. The term is derived from the Latin word pulmō, pulmōnis ("lung") and the Greek -λογία, -logia. Pulmonology is synonymous with pneumology (from the Greek πνεύμων ("lung") and -λογία, -logia), respirology and respiratory medicine.