Emphysema definition

Emphysema is a disease of the lungs. It occurs most often in people who smoke, but it also occurs in people who regularly breathe in irritants. Emphysema destroys alveoli, which are air sacs in the lungs. The air sacs weaken and eventually break, which reduces the surface area of the lungs and the amount of oxygen that can reach the bloodstream. This makes it harder to breathe, especially when exercising. Emphysema also causes the lungs to lose their elasticity. Emphysema is one of the two most common conditions that Some people have emphysema for years without knowing it. Some of its first signs are shortness of breath and coughing, especially during exercise or physical exertion. This continues to get worse until breathing is difficult all the time, even when resting. Other symptoms may • exhaustion • weight loss • depression Some people may develop bluish-gray lips or fingernails from lack of oxygen. If this happens, seek medical attention immediately. According to the Rates were higher among males, non-Hispanic white people, and those over the age of 65. However, the rates among females have been increasing in recent decades, so the gap between the sexes has been decreasing. Smoking tobacco is the main cause of emphysema. The more you smoke, the higher your risk of developing emphysema. This includes smoking cannabis. Smoking leads to the death of more than 480,000 Americans a year, and Other causes of, as well as potential risk factors for developing emphysema, may in...

Share on Pinterest Jasenka Arbanas/Getty Images Although there is no cure for emphysema, treatments are available to help manage the symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. By the time a person reaches stage 4 emphysema, treatment focuses on easing symptoms and boosting blood oxygen levels to prevent further complications. This article describes what stage 4 emphysema is, including its signs and symptoms. We also provide information on diagnosing, treating, and managing the condition. Finally, we outline the life expectancy for people living with the condition and offer advice on when to see a doctor. Emphysema involves damage to the tiny air sacs, or alveoli, within the lungs. Over time, the inner walls of the alveoli rupture, creating large, air-filled pockets within the lungs. Doctors refer to these enlarged air pockets as “bullae.” As the lungs lose functioning tissue, they become less effective at exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. This results in respiratory issues and low blood oxygen levels, which may cause fatigue and an overall reduction in quality of life. Medical professionals may use a staging system to determine the severity of emphysema. This system uses a person’s forced expiratory volume (FEV) score to determine disease severity. The Stage 4 emphysema is However, most medical professionals now consider the staging system obsolete, with doctors The table below shows the stages and corresponding Stages GOLD grade COPD or emphysema severity FEV1 ...

Emphysema can’t be cured. It’s progressive, so over time it will get harder and harder for you to catch your breath. But you might not know you have the disease for the first few years unless your doctor tests your Stage 1 Emphysema Emphysema stages are a measure of how well you can breathe. One widely used guideline is called the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). It’s a formula that ranks emphysema in four stages, with 4 being the most serious. Doctors use it as one of many ways to measure your emphysema. A machine called a spirometer tests your breathing for the GOLD stages. It takes two key measurements: Forced vital capacity (FVC). This is how much air you can breathe out after taking the biggest breath you can. Forced expiratory volume-one second (FEV1). This is how much air you can breathe out in the first second after that big breath. Your doctor uses those numbers to calculate how well you compare to your healthy peers. You have emphysema if the ratio of FEV1 to FVC is less than 70%. That means that after you exhaled for 1 second, 30% or more of the air in your lungs hasn’t emptied out. Stage 1 emphysema is when the amount of air you can breathe out in 1 second (your FEV1) is 80% or more of the average for someone of your age, sex, and height. How Serious Is Your Emphysema? Stage 1 is also called mild emphysema. But that doesn’t mean your disease is mild. You could have significant lung damage before you even notice the Once your doctor...

Empyema is a condition that causes pus to develop in your pleural space. Pneumonia is the most common cause. A healthcare provider can diagnose empyema by listening to your lungs and ordering imaging and blood tests. Antibiotics treat most cases of empyema, but a provider may need to drain pus with a needle or through surgery. Overview Empyema causes pus to develop in your pleural space — the hollow cavity between your lungs and chest wall. What is empyema? Empyema is an infection in which pus develops in your pleural space. Pus is a thick, discolored (white, yellow, pink or green) fluid that your body creates to help fight infection. It consists of white blood cells, dead tissue and bacteria. Your pleural space is a hollow area (cavity) between your lungs and underneath your chest wall. Without proper treatment, empyema can get worse and may be fatal. If you have symptoms of empyema, call a healthcare provider right away. Other names for empyema include pyothorax and purulent pleuritis. Is empyema a COPD? No, empyema isn’t a Who does empyema affect? Anyone can get empyema. However, you’re more likely to get empyema if you: • Have • Are older than 70. • Recently had surgery on your chest. • Have diabetes. • Have COPD. • Have • Have a • Inject drugs into a vein with a needle (IV drug use). How common is empyema? Empyema isn’t common. There are about 32,000 cases of empyema in the United States each year. Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms of empyema? Empyema symptoms...

• Injuries to almost any part of the body, especially the chest, sinuses, or facial bones • Pneumothorax • Infection with necrotizing bacteria that kills skin tissue, increasing the risk of • Surgical trauma • Laparoscopic surgeries • Barotrauma (also called "the bends" that can occur in scuba divers or from other activities that subject a person to extreme altitude changes) • Accidental injury to the trachea during • Ventilator malfunctions or issues • Injuries to the • Bowel or esophageal perforations • • X-rays: These may be positive for a "ginkgo leaf sign." This describes an air pattern along the • Computed tomography (CT): This type of scan can show dark pockets of air in the subcutaneous layer and may also help identify the source of the air. • Laryngoscopy or • Ultrasound: This may be used if a pneumothorax is suspected. • The administration of highly concentrated oxygen, since it helps the body absorb the subcutaneous air more quickly. • Making two infraclavicular incisions on each side (deep incisions made below the • The insertion of a chest tube may also be necessary to remove the air. • In some cases, small incisions may be made in other parts of the body, or needles or catheters may be used to get rid of excess air. Summary Subcutaneous emphysema is a condition in which air becomes trapped under the subcutaneous layer of the skin. The main symptoms are edema and crepitus. There are many possible causes, including accidental injuries during surgery, injury dur...

Overview Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged. Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture — creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones. This reduces the surface area of the lungs and, in turn, the amount of oxygen that reaches your bloodstream. When you exhale, the damaged alveoli don't work properly and old air becomes trapped, leaving no room for fresh, oxygen-rich air to enter. Most people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the tubes that carry air to your lungs (bronchial tubes), which leads to a persistent cough. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two conditions that make up chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Treatment may slow the progression of COPD, but it can't reverse the damage. Symptoms You can have emphysema for many years without noticing any signs or symptoms. The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which usually begins gradually. You may start avoiding activities that cause you to be short of breath, so the symptom doesn't become a problem until it starts interfering with daily tasks. Emphysema eventually causes shortness of breath even while you're at rest. When to see a doctor See your doctor if you've had unexplained shortness of breath for several months, especially if it's getting worse or it's interfering with yo...

• National Emphysema Foundation. • American Lung Association. • Harvard Medical School. • Zulueta JJ. • Raviv, S., Hawkins, K., DeCamp, M. and Kalhan, R. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2010;183(9):1138-1146. doi:10.1164/rccm.201008-1274CI • American Lung Association. • Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung. • Brode SK, Ling SC, Chapman KR. CMAJ. 2012;184(12):1365-71. doi:10.1503/cmaj.111749 • Gentry S & Gentry B. Am Fam Physician. 2017;95(7):433-41. • Celik E, Nelles C, Kottlors J, et al. Barac A, ed. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(2):e0263261. doi:10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0263261 • Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk E, Bryla M, Ciabiada-Bryla B, Maniecka-Bryla I. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(3):e0213581. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0213581 Additional Reading

Healthy Your lungs trap pollutants with a thin layer of mucous coating. Tiny brushes known as cilia sweep away the harmful particles so that they can be removed from your lungs. When you cough, dirt and pollutants are brought up with the mucus. Because smoking destroys the cilia, your lungs can’t work properly — there’s no proper way for the particles to get out. This results in damage to the tiny air sacs in the lungs called Inflammation caused by smoking can lead to chronic bronchitis and damage the breathing tubes and Effect on the alveoli Think of the alveoli like tiny clusters of balloons. They inflate and deflate when you breathe. When the alveoli become damaged, however, they lose their ability to recoil properly. This in turn makes it difficult to breathe. As alveoli become permanently stretched and their walls rupture, the lungs will have trouble taking in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. This forces the Little is known about how In addition to Many e-cigarette companies label their aerosols and flavorings as ingredients that are “generally regarded as safe,” but that is based on research about ingestion and swallowing of these substances in food, not inhalation. More studies are needed to determine the full impact and potential risks that e-cigarettes pose to humans. Although e-cigarettes are often marketed as a way to quit smoking in the traditional sense, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved this use. In 2016, the The American Lun...