Pulmonary emphysema is a lung disease brought about, in most cases, by smoking. It is a disease in which the alveoli, the air sacs present in the lungs, can no longer stretch. This loss of elasticity means air remains trapped in the lungs, and the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the body is compromised. This results in shortness of breath and other symptoms and can be fatal.
Function
The disease takes years to develop in most instances. Constant smoking exposes lung tissue to irritants, which eventually destroy healthy air-sac tissue. The air sacs are where gases are exchanged in the lungs, transferring oxygen to the blood and removing carbon dioxide. This damage is permanent and causes holes in the lung tissue. Lungs lose their ability to stretch and airways collapse, making it very hard to exhale.
Effects
The earliest signs of pulmonary emphysema can include difficulty breathing and having a cough. You may feel run down and have problems falling asleep as the condition advances. You may also be anxious and lose weight as your appetite decreases. Heart problems are not uncommon with pulmonary emphysema, as the organ is forced to work much harder to pump blood through the damaged lung tissue. Severe shortness of breath can develop in the later stages of the disease.
Size
There are more than 1.5 million people in the U.S. with pulmonary emphysema, ranking the disease 15th among chronic conditions that limit activity, according to the American Lung Association. Almost 18,000 individuals succumb to pulmonary emphysema each year in the U.S. In 90 percent of the cases, the person was a smoker over the age of 45.
Warning
Pulmonary emphysema often leads to respiratory failure, as the person can no longer get enough oxygen into the blood to survive. Pneumonia often claims the lives of those with emphysema, as the individual is unable to keep his lungs clear of bacteria and viruses that precipitate the condition. Heart failure also may occur.
Benefits
Treatment goals are to make the patient live in relative comfort and to stop any further progression of the disease. A major aim is for the person to stop smoking. Infections are likely as the immune system will be weakened, so antibiotics may be needed. Inhalers can open airways temporarily to allow air to pass, and steroidal medications may build up the person's strength. Supplemental oxygen can allow easier breathing and, in those who can withstand such a procedure, a lung transplant is not out of the question.
Tags: lung tissue, pulmonary emphysema, carbon dioxide, shortness breath, with pulmonary, with pulmonary emphysema