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| Emphysema |
Question:
What is emphysema?
Answer:
Emphysema is a chronic
respiratory condition, nearly always caused by the destruction of lung
tissue by toxins contained in cigarette smoke.
emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) that evolves over a period of time. Specifically,
emphysema destroys the structural architecture of the lungs and results
in destruction of the alveoli, the approximately three million tiny air
sacs in the lungs. Oxygen is delivered to the lungs and carbon dioxide
is carried from the lungs across the walls of the alveoli; as more and
more alveoli are damaged, it becomes harder and harder for the lungs to
function, causing one or more of the following symptoms:
-Shortness of breath
-Increasing difficulty exercising
-Great difficulty exhaling
-Chronic coughing
-Tiredness and fatigue
-Chest pain
As the disease progresses, breathing becomes increasingly difficult. In
its most severe stage, virtually any physical activity becomes extremely
difficult, if not impossible.
Over 90% of all cases of emphysema are caused
by long-term smoking of cigarettes or other tobacco products. In very rare
cases emphysema is inherited and results from a deficiency of a
protein known as alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor.
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