lung disease

1. EMPHYSEMA

2. Emphysema Is A Common Disease
 Affects 2 out of 1,000 people
 1.8 million Americans in the United States have
emphysema.
 Emphysema is ranked 15th among chronic
conditions or diseases which limit people’s daily
activity

3.  More common in men
vs. women
 Studies show that the
amount of women with
the disease is
gradually increasing

4.  44% of people with
emphysema have
reported that their
daily activities have
been greatly limited
due to the disease

5. Emphysema is a lung disease that is classified as a COPD.
(Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
There are several things that cause emphysema
It can be inherited
Prolonged exposure to environmental toxins
and...........

6. The #1 cause is cigarette smoking
82% of cases are related to smoking

7. Pathophysiology of Emphysema
 Continued exposure to
noxious substances, such as
cigarette smoke, causes
destruction of the walls of the
alveoli
 The alveolar membrane
surface area decreases, thus
lessening the area available
for gas exchange

8.  Progressive loss of the respiratory membrane
results in an increased ratio of air to lung tissue
 Diffusion defects start to occur
 The number of pulmonary capillaries in the lung
is decreased and that increases the resistance
to pulmonary blood flow

9.  Pulmonary hypertension
then occurs
 Right heart failure may
occur
 Cor pulmonale
(hypertrophy of the right
ventricle)
 DEATH

10.  Causes weakening of the walls of
the small bronchioles and alveoli.
 When the walls are destroyed, the
lungs loose their capacity to recoil
and air becomes trapped in the
lungs
 Residual volume increases
 Vital capacity remains about
normal
 The destroyed lung tissue (called
blebbs) results in alveolar collapse

11.  To counteract alveolar
collapse, patients tend to
breath through pursed lips.
 This creates a continued
positive pressure and
prevents alveolar collapse

12.  PaO2 further decreases, which may lead to increased red
blood cell production and polycythemia (an excess of red
blood cells)
 PaCO2 also increases and becomes chronically elevated
 The body then depends on the hypoxic drive to control
respirations
 Emphysema is characterized by irreversible airway
obstruction

13. Signs And Symptoms
 Shortness of breath
 Wheezing
 Chronic mucus production (chronic bronchitis)
 Constant coughing or need to clear the throat

14. Most Common Health
Complications
 Respiratory tract infections
 Pneumonia
 Respiratory failure
 Death

15. Physical Changes
 The most common physical
change may be in the chest,
which takes on a barrel-like
appearance
 Bluish discoloration of the
lips and nail beds
 Swelling and increased fluid
in the lungs

16. Treatment
 Bronchodilators
 Oxygen
 Lung Transplant (very
few patients qualify)

17. Prevention
 Live away from
polluted urban
areas
 #1 prevention is to
STOP SMOKING