Matilde Almeida

Matilde Almeida, MD, is an English-speaking pulmonology specialist who sees adult patients at UMC Lisbon. She diagnoses, treats, and provides long-term care for lung and airway disorders, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, chronic respiratory failure, and sleep-related breathing disorders.

She sees patients aged 18 and older in person in Lisbon. Telehealth appointments are also available when the concern can be assessed safely at a distance. Consultations are provided in Portuguese and English. Portuguese Medical Association professional license: 68175.

Symptoms That May Require a Pulmonology Evaluation

• shortness of breath during activity or at rest;
• a cough lasting several weeks or months;
• productive cough;
• wheezing, choking episodes, or chest tightness;
• coughing up blood, also known as hemoptysis;
• chest pain, including pain associated with pleural disease;
• frequent or recurrent respiratory infections;
• reduced exercise tolerance;
• low blood oxygen levels or episodes of bluish skin discoloration;
• snoring, daytime sleepiness, or possible obstructive sleep apnea;
• persistent breathing symptoms after pneumonia, tuberculosis, or COVID-19;
• unexplained weight loss accompanied by respiratory symptoms;
• lung nodules, masses, or enlarged lymph nodes found incidentally on chest CT.

Conditions Managed

• asthma;
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD;
• chronic cough;
• interstitial and diffuse lung disease;
• chronic respiratory failure;
• conditions requiring oxygen therapy or noninvasive ventilation;
• sleep-related breathing disorders and possible sleep apnea;
• pleural disease and pleural effusion;
• respiratory symptoms following pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other lung infections;
• occupational and environmental lung disease;
• possible thoracic malignancy;
• pulmonary nodules and other abnormalities identified on X-ray or CT.

What to Expect During Your Appointment

Dr. Almeida reviews your symptoms, medical history, previous infections, smoking history, and occupational and environmental exposures. She also reviews prior laboratory and imaging results, performs a clinical examination and lung auscultation, and develops an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan.

Depending on the clinical situation, she may recommend pulmonary function testing, laboratory studies, chest X-ray or CT, a sleep study, or an interventional diagnostic procedure. She can also review previously completed testing and provide a second opinion.

Asthma and COPD Care

For asthma and COPD, Dr. Almeida confirms or reassesses the diagnosis, evaluates symptoms and lung function, selects maintenance therapy, and establishes a follow-up plan. Repeat pulmonary function testing helps monitor treatment response and supports adjustments when needed.

Interstitial Lung Disease

Interstitial lung diseases are a diverse group of conditions that can cause inflammation or fibrosis of lung tissue. Dr. Almeida evaluates patients with possible interstitial lung disease by integrating symptoms, CT findings, pulmonary function results, and relevant occupational or environmental exposures.

Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders

For snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, morning headaches, or daytime sleepiness, the doctor performs an initial assessment and refers the patient for a sleep study when indicated. Polysomnography or respiratory polygraphy is not performed at UMC; the results can be interpreted as part of subsequent follow-up.

Interventional Pulmonology

Dr. Almeida’s professional interests include bronchoscopy, EBUS, and pleural disease diagnostics. When bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, or a pleural procedure is indicated, the patient is referred to a partner clinic with the necessary procedure suite and equipment. Further management is based on the results.

These procedures are not performed on UMC premises and are ordered only when clinically indicated.

Smoking Cessation Support

Patients can discuss the effects of smoking on respiratory health and develop an individualized plan to quit tobacco based on their lung health and respiratory function.

Education and Specialty Training

• Integrated Master’s Degree in Medicine, NOVA Medical School — NOVA University Lisbon, 2013–2019;
• Erasmus clinical semester, University of Maribor, Slovenia, 2018;
• general medical internship, Hospital Professor Doutor Fernando da Fonseca, 2020;
• pulmonology specialty residency, Hospital Garcia de Orta / ULS Almada-Seixal, 2021–2025;
• European certification in endobronchial ultrasound, European Respiratory Society.

Research and Scientific Activity

Dr. Almeida participates in clinical research on respiratory support during bronchoscopy, progressive interstitial lung disease, non-small cell lung cancer therapy, and treatment of COPD with type 2 inflammation.

She has authored and coauthored scientific publications on pleural infection, medication-induced eosinophilic pleural effusion, complications of endoscopic diagnostic procedures, and sleep disorders.

Professional Memberships

• Portuguese Medical Association — since 2019;
• Portuguese Society of Pulmonology — since 2021;
• European Respiratory Society — since 2021.

Languages

• Portuguese
• English

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Dr. Almeida see children?

No. Her pulmonology appointments at UMC Lisbon are available to patients aged 18 and older.

2. Can spirometry be performed at the clinic?

Yes. Spirometry and other pulmonary function tests are available at UMC Lisbon. They are separate services; preparation, scheduling, and fees should be confirmed when booking.

3. Can I bring a chest CT that showed a pulmonary nodule?

Yes. Dr. Almeida can review the images and report and determine whether monitoring, additional imaging, EBUS, bronchoscopy, or another specialist evaluation is appropriate.

4. Is bronchoscopy performed at UMC?

No. When clinically indicated, the doctor refers the patient for bronchoscopy, EBUS, or a pleural procedure at a partner clinic with the required equipment.

5. Are telehealth appointments available?

Yes. Initial and follow-up consultations may be conducted by telehealth when a remote assessment is clinically appropriate. Pulmonary function testing requires an in-person visit in Lisbon.