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    Emphysema

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    Khalid Mahmud Arifin
    Emphysema is a lung disease that damages the air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, preventing them from fully deflating and filling with fresh air. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of emphysema as it damages the walls of the air sacs over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic coughing, wheezing, and fatigue. Tests like pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays are used to diagnose emphysema. Treatment focuses on quitting smoking to stop further lung damage, using inhalers and oxygen therapy to improve breathing, and sometimes surgery for severe cases.

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    Emphysema

    Uploaded by

    Khalid Mahmud Arifin
    890 views3 pages
    Emphysema is a lung disease that damages the air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, preventing them from fully deflating and filling with fresh air. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of emphysema as it damages the walls of the air sacs over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic coughing, wheezing, and fatigue. Tests like pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays are used to diagnose emphysema. Treatment focuses on quitting smoking to stop further lung damage, using inhalers and oxygen therapy to improve breathing, and sometimes surgery for severe cases.

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    Emphysema is a lung disease that damages the air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, preventing them from fully deflating and filling with fresh air. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of emphysema as it damages the walls of the air sacs over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic coughing, wheezing, and fatigue. Tests like pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays are used to diagnose emphysema. Treatment focuses on quitting smoking to stop further lung damage, using inhalers and oxygen therapy to improve breathing, and sometimes surgery for severe cases.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    890 views3 pages

    Emphysema

    Uploaded by

    Khalid Mahmud Arifin
    Emphysema is a lung disease that damages the air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, preventing them from fully deflating and filling with fresh air. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of emphysema as it damages the walls of the air sacs over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic coughing, wheezing, and fatigue. Tests like pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays are used to diagnose emphysema. Treatment focuses on quitting smoking to stop further lung damage, using inhalers and oxygen therapy to improve breathing, and sometimes surgery for severe cases.

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    Emphysema

    Definition

    Emphysema is a lung disease that involves damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. The air
    sacs are unable to completely deflate, and are therefore unable to fill with fresh air to ensure
    adequate oxygen supply to the body.

    Causes, incidence, and risk factors

    Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of emphysema. Tobacco smoke and other
    pollutants are thought to cause the release of chemicals from within the lungs that damage the
    walls of the air sacs. This damage becomes worse over time, affecting the exchange of oxygen
    and carbon dioxide in the lungs.

    A naturally occurring substance in the lungs called alpha-1 antitrypsin may protect against this
    damage. People with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency are at an increased risk for this disease.

    Symptoms

    • Shortness of breath
    • Chronic cough with or without sputum production
    • Wheezing
    • Decreased ability to exercise

    Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease include the following:

    • Anxiety
    • Unintentional weight loss
    • Ankle, feet, and leg swelling
    • Fatigue

    Signs and tests

    A physical examination may show wheezing, decreased breath sounds, or prolonged exhalation
    (exhalation takes more than twice as long as inspiration). The chest may be barrel-shaped. There
    may be signs of chronically insufficient oxygen levels in the blood.

    These tests help confirm the diagnosis:

    • Pulmonary function tests


    • Chest x-ray
    • Arterial blood gases showing low levels of oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia), and high
    levels of carbon dioxide (respiratory acidosis)

    This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

    • Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan


    • Chest CT scan
    Treatment

    Smoking cessation is the most important and effective treatment. Only quitting smoking can stop
    the progression of lung damage once it has started. Medications used to improve breathing
    include bronchodilators (hand-held inhaler or nebulizer), diuretics, and corticosteroids. Antibiotics
    may be prescribed when respiratory infections occur. Influenza (flu) vaccines and Pneumovax
    (pneumonia vaccine) are recommended for people with emphysema.

    Low-flow oxygen can be used during exertion, continuously, or at night. Pulmonary rehabilitation
    can improve exercise tolerance and quality of life in the short-term. Lung transplantation is an
    option for patients with severe disease.

    Carefully selected patients may be eligible for lung reduction surgery. This procedure removes the
    damaged portions of the lung, which allows the normal portions of the lung to expand more fully
    and take advantage of increased aeration. When successful, those who undergo the surgery
    report improvement in walking distance and quality of life.

    Support Groups

    Contact the American Lung Association for a support group near you.

    Expectations (prognosis)

    The outcome is better for patients with less damage to the lung. Prognosis is largely determined
    by initial shortness of breath, exercise tolerance, and results from lung function tests (spirometry).
    Death may occur from respiratory failure, pneumonia, or other complications.

    Complications

    • Recurrent respiratory infections


    • Pulmonary hypertension
    • Cor pulmonale (enlargement and strain on the right side of the heart)
    • Erythrocytosis (increased red blood cell count)
    • Death

    Calling your health care provider

    Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of emphysema.

    If you know you have emphysema, call your health care provider if breathing difficulty, cough,
    sputum production or fever develops or changes.

    Prevention

    Avoiding smoking -- or quitting if you do smoke -- can greatly decrease risk for this disease.
    — MAHMUD CD9

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