Why emphysema obstructive

Emphysema can lead to destruction of the alveoli, the tiny air sacs that allow oxygen to get into the blood. Their destruction leads to the formation of large air pockets in the lung called bullae. These bullae do not exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide like normal lung tissue. Also, the bullae can become very large.

Normal lung tissue next to the bullae cannot expand properly, reducing lung function. Chronic bronchitis affects the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange because the airway swelling and mucus production can also narrow the airways and reduce the flow of oxygen-rich air into the lung and carbon dioxide out of the lung. The damage to the alveoli and airways makes it harder to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen during each breath. Decreased levels of oxygen in the blood and increased levels of carbon dioxide cause the breathing muscles to contract harder and faster.

The nerves in the muscles and lungs sense this increased activity and report it to the brain. As a result, you feel short of breath. Yoneda MD - Pulmonology. Author: Healthwise Staff. It causes permanent holes in the lower lung tissue. Pulmonary emphysema is part of a group of lung diseases called COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

COPD lung diseases cause airflow blockage and breathing problems. The 2 most common conditions of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Symptoms may be slightly different for each person. The following are the most common symptoms for pulmonary emphysema. The symptoms of pulmonary emphysema may look like other lung conditions or health problems.

See a healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Along with a complete health history and physical exam, your healthcare provider may request pulmonary function tests. The tests are often done with special machines into which you breathe.

They may include:. A spirometer is a device used to check lung function. Spirometry is one of the simplest, most common tests. When a cigarette burns, it creates more than 7, chemicals, many of which are harmful. The toxins in cigarette smoke weaken your lungs' defense against infections, narrow air passages, cause swelling in air tubes and destroy air sacs—all contributing factors for COPD. What you breathe every day at work, home and outside can play a role in developing COPD.

Long-term exposure to air pollution, secondhand smoke and dust, fumes and chemicals which are often work-related can cause COPD. A small number of people have a rare form of COPD called alpha-1 deficiency-related emphysema.

This form of COPD is caused by a genetic inherited condition that affects the body's ability to produce a protein Alpha-1 that protects the lungs. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD , which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

It increases your risk of both developing and dying from COPD. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by smoking. Female smokers are nearly 13 times as likely to die from COPD as women who have never smoked; male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked.

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