Emphysema Essay - 1255 Words

Emphysema Introduction: Emphysema is a condition of the lungs that involves the over-inflation of the air sacs, otherwise known as the alveoli. Normal functioning of the alveoli helps breathing in normal respiration. Unlike other lung diseases this one can be inherited. This is a disease that can affect people of all ages and genders. In 1994, the number of males with emphysema outnumbered the females by fifty four percent. However, in the two years that followed the difference between males and females decreased by ten percent. Classification: Emphysema is a lung disease that is classified as a COPD. (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Natural History (Symptoms): A person may notice various signs that will lead them†¦show more content†¦Swelling and increased fluid in the lungs may also be a sign to look for. A steady tracking of the symptoms and health history of the person should be taken into consideration as well. Prevalence and/or Incidence: Emphysema is a fairly common disease, with two out of one thousand people reporting cases. Currently, there are 1.8 million Americans in the United States that have emphysema. Emphysema is ranked 15th among chronic conditions or diseases which limit people’s daily activity. A study by the American Lung Association shows that 44 percent of people with emphysema have reported that their daily activities have been greatly limited due to the disease. Ethnical Distribution: Emphysema can be contracted by people of all walks of life and does not favor any particular ethnic groups. The contraction of emphysema mainly depends on life style. Geographical Distribution: Emphysema is a disease that in not only caused by the way you live, but can be contracted through the area in which a person lives. For example, people who live in urban areas are at higher risk. This is due to the fact that these areas are more highly populated with factories and cluttered with automobiles. These factories produce a great deal of smoke which can be very harmful to the lungs of the people who inhale it. The automobile exhaust has the same affect on the lungs if inhaled forShow MoreRelatedEmphysema Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesEmphysema Emphysema is a condition in which there is over-inflation of structures in the lungs known as alveoli or air sacs. This over-inflation results from a breakdown of the walls of the alveoli, which causes a decrease in respiratory function (the way the lungs work) and often, breathlessness. Early symptoms of emphysema include shortness of breath and cough. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis together comprise chronic obstructive Read MoreA Discussion of Emphysema and COPD1266 Words   |  6 Pagesbe a sign of a potential health problem like emphysema, asthma, or tuberculosis. People smoke for different reasons; nevertheless, it is an addiction that they can recover from. It may take them several tries to quit smoking, but they can quit. People don’t think about the harm that they are putting on their lungs and alveoli when they put a cigarette to their mouth. For example, many long time smokers are diagnose with emphysema every minute. Emphysema is an example of a chronic obstructive pulmonaryRead MoreEmphysema: Chronic Pulmorary Disease745 Words   |  3 PagesEmphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The name emphysema comes from greek. There are about 20 million victims that suffer from this disease every year. This sickness is mostly caused by smoking. A cigarette has more than 4,800 chemicals inside i t. There is about 70% of adults that start to smoke at the age of 18. (lung.org) Statistics say that cigarettes are the highest reasons that emphysema is the cause (health central). Strong chemicals that people smoke like tobaccoRead MoreA Short Note On Emphysema, The Irreversible Enlargement Of The Acini1286 Words   |  6 Pages Emphysema Megan Kehn Delta College April 15, 2015 Pathophysiology Emphysema is the irreversible enlargement of the acini that includes the destruction of the walls of the alveoli without apparent fibrosis (Huether McCance, 2012). The alveolar septa is destroyed which then amplifies the amount of air in the acinus. Inhalation of pulmonary irritants such as cigarette smoke and certain environmental pollutants is thought to lead to the hindering of the endogenous antiproteases and stimulateRead MoreA Short Note On Emphysema And Pneumomediastinum : The Presence Of Air Or Other Gases Within The Confines Of Mediastinal Structures2320 Words   |  10 PagesMediastinal emphysema or pneumomediastinum is the presence of air or other gases within the confines of mediastinal structures. First described by Laennec in 1819 [1], the main causes of pneumomediastinum are trauma, tracheobronchial or oesophageal-bronchial fistulas, invasive procedures (cervical, thoracic, or abdominal), positive-pressure ventilation, coughing, vomiting, Valsalva manoeuvre, physic al exertion, and inhaled drug use, among others [2]. It rarely occurs in the absence of pulmonaryRead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease1509 Words   |  7 Pages When a person had Alpha-1 Antirypsm deficiency, it causes a problem with making a specific protein. This proteins help prevent the disease. Without out the protein the disease is common. Their are two major types of COPD, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema the walls between the air sacs are destroyed. In turn the sacs loose their shape. Their become fewer larger air sac instead of of numerous smaller one. This causes problems with the body getting enough oxygen (COPD). WithoutRead MoreEssay On Emphysema1402 Words   |  6 Pageslower mitochondria amount (Fig. 10B) in emphysema in comparison with controls. We also wanted to analyze changes in mitochondrial amount in A549 cells treated with H2O2 for 0.5h, 1h, 1.5h and 2h. We used Tom20 as a marker of mitochondria and live cell confocal microscopy (Zeiss LSM 510). We found time-dependent decreased mitochondrial amount after 2h treatment (Fig. 11). Summary of Preliminary Results †¢ We found high levels of DJ-1-Cys-106-SO3- in emphysema. †¢ DJ-1-Cys-106-SO3- interacts with DNARead MoreChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( Copd )1535 Words   |  7 Pagespulmonary disease, or COPD, which is an overall heading used to cover several conditions, all of which are characterized by blockage of air from the lungs, resulting in increasing breathlessness. The two main diseases that fall into this category are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. According to the American Lung Association, COPD affects the lives of more than 12 million adults in the United States. There is a large difference in the way an unaffected, healthy lung and a COPD stricken lung operates.Read MoreThe Human Respiratory System and Smoking Essay1261 Words   |  6 PagesEmphysema The human respiratory system includes the lungs, pathways connecting them to the outside environment and structures in the chest that help the movement of air in and out of the lungs. When the movement of air in and out of the lungs is limited, people experience a difficulty in breathing. Emphysema is a type of chronic lung-disease. It results when the air sacs walls are heavily damaged causing loss of elasticity. The main cause of emphysema is smoking and the treatments can’t reverseRead MoreCopd929 Words   |  4 Pagesadult population, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. 4 With COPD, a person will usually have two main medical conditions that limit airflow. These conditions are known as emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Emphysema causes the elasticity of the lung tissue to be lost. The alveolar walls between air sacs in the lung are damaged, and this causes them to lose their shape and become flimsy. Over time, this damage destroys the walls,