Emphysema Facts
Emphysema: a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, as it is otherwise
known, formerly termed a chronic obstructive lung disease). It is often caused by
exposure to toxic chemicals, including long-term exposure to tobacco smoke.
If diagnosed with emphysema, there is no cure. It is a progressive disease in that
over time it will progressively get worse. You can slow down the progression of the
disease by quitting smoking.
Emphysema causes shortness of breath because the lung tissues necessary to support
the physical shape and function of the lung are destroyed.
Emphysema is included in a group of diseases called COPD and this group of
diseases ranks as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The death
rate for COPD appears to be rising.
Cigarette smoking is by far the most dangerous reason that people develop
emphysema, and it is also the most preventable cause. Cigarette smoke destroys the
lung tissue and it causes inflammation and irritation of the airways.
Here is what happens with emphysema:
Healthy lungs are very spongy and elastic. When a breath is taken, the chest wall
expands, expanding the sponge. Similar to the way a squeezed sponge will draw
water into it when released, suction draws air into the lungs when the chest wall
expands. Air is brought through the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (the main air
tube going to the left and right lungs). These tubes divide into smaller and smaller
tubes, finally ending in alveoli which are the tiniest structures in the lung. Alveoli are
very small air sacs that are arranged like a bunch of grapes. The alveoli are at the
ends of the smallest tubes called bronchioles. The alveoli and the bronchioles are
very important for the lungs to function properly. It is these structures that are
destroyed by emphysema. A sponge picks up water because all the tiny holes expand
at one time after being squeezed. If the holes were larger, the sponge would not pick
up as much water. This is very similar to what happens with lungs with emphysema.
If there are not as many alveoli (hundreds of millions are needed) because they have
been destroyed by emphysema to draw enough air into the lungs, then the lungs
cannot work effectively.
Source:www.emedicinehealth.com