Emphysema

What is an Emphysema?
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of
breath due to over-inflation of the alveoli (air sacs in the lung). In people with emphysema, the
lung tissue involved in exchange of gases (alveoli) (oxygen and carbon dioxide) is impaired or
destroyed.
What is the other term for Emphysema/Name?
Emphysema is also called an obstructive lung disease because airflow on exhalation is slowed
or stopped because over-inflated alveoli do not exchange gases when a person breaths due to
little or no movement of gases out of the alveoli.
What happens in our lungs when we have emphysema? and what is the look of it?
Normal lung tissue looks like a new sponge. Emphysematous lung looks like an old used
sponge, with large holes and a dramatic loss of springy-ness or elasticity. When the lung is
stretched during inflation (inhalation), the nature of the stretched tissue wants to relax to its
resting state. In emphysema, this elastic function is impaired, resulting in air trapping in the
lungs. Emphysema destroys this spongy tissue of the lung and also severely affects the small
blood vessels (capillaries of the lung) and airways that run throughout the lung. Thus, not only is
airflow affected but so is blood flow. This has dramatic impact on the ability for the lung not only
to empty its air sacs called alveoli (pleural for alveolus) but also for blood to flow through the
lungs to receive oxygen.
What are the causes of Emphysema? and how this causes destroys your lungs.
Cigarette Smoking is one of the main causes that can bring Emphysema to an person. thus It
destroys lung tissue, which results in the obstruction of air flow, and it causes inflammation and
irritation of airways that can add to air flow obstruction.
Symptoms:
*Shortness of breath
*Pursed-Lipbreathing(The person with emphysema struggles to exhale completely, in an
attempt to empty trapped air. They purse their lips, leaving only a small opening. Then, when
they exhale, the lips block the flow of air, increasing pressure in the collapsed airways, and
opening them, allowing the trapped air to empty.)
*Barrel chest(the distance from the chest to the back, which is normally less than the distance
side to side, becomes more pronounced. This is a direct result of air becoming trapped behind
obstructed airways.)

Prevention:
well the simpliest but effective way is to STOP smoking, it'll make your life last longer and thus
saving the environment from not smoking due to smoking is an one thing that greatly affects the
ozone layer.
Treatment:
*Stop smoking: Although not strictly a treatment, most doctors make this recommendation for
people with emphysema (and everyone).
*Bronchodilating medications: These medications, which cause the air passages to open
more fully and allow better air exchange, are usually the first medications that a doctor will
prescribe for emphysema. In very mild cases, bronchodilators may be used only as needed, for
episodes of shortness of breath.
*Steroid medications: They decrease inflammation in the body. They are used for this effect in
the lung and elsewhere and have been shown to be of some benefit in emphysema. However,
not all people will respond to steroid therapy. Steroids may either be given orally or inhaled
through an MDI or another form of inhaler.
*Antibiotics: These medications are often prescribed for people with emphysema who have
increased shortness of breath. Even when the chest x-ray does not show pneumonia or
evidence of infection, people treated with antibiotics tend to have shorter episodes of shortness
of breath. It is suspected that infection may play a role in an acute bout of emphysema, even
before the infection worsens into a pneumonia oracute bronchitis.
*Oxygen: If you have shortness of breath and go to a hospital's emergency department, you
often are given oxygen. It may even be necessary to give oxygen by placing a tube in your
windpipe and allowing a machine to assist your breathing (also termed tracheal intubation). In
some cases, it may be necessary for you to receive oxygen at home as well. There are homebased oxygen tanks available and portable units that enable you to be mobile and engage in
normal day-to-day activities.

source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/emphysema/article_em.htm