Lung disease is an umbrella term covering many medical conditions affecting the pulmonary system. The document divides the pulmonary system into six sections - airways, air sacs, interstitium, blood vessels, pleura, and chest wall - each of which can be affected by certain lung diseases. Common lung diseases include asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, and lung cancer, which typically result from smoking, genetics, or infections. The interstitium, which lines the alveoli, can be impacted by interstitial lung disease. Diseases like pulmonary embolism and hypertension may also influence the blood vessels.

1. Dr. Gary Hunninghake:
Lung Disease Explained
Gary Hunninghake

2. Dr. Gary Hunninghake: Lung Disease
Explained
Lung disease is an umbrella term that covers a number of medical
conditions affecting the pulmonary system. In fact, lung diseases are
some of the most common medical issues in the world. The most
common causes of lung problems are smoking, genetics, and
infections. The pulmonary system can be divided into six sections, all
of which are prone to certain kinds of lung disease under these
conditions. These are the airways, air sacs or alveoli, interstitium,
blood vessels, pleura, and chest wall.

3. Dr. Gary Hunninghake: Lung Disease
Explained
The airways consist of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi that
branch off into the lungs through tiny tubes called bronchioles. They
are subject to some of the most commonly known lung diseases such
as asthma, allergies, bronchitis, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis. The
bronchioles stop at the alveoli, which are the air sacks made up by
lung tissue. Alveoli are subject to other common forms of lung
disease such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary edema,
pneumoconiosis, and lung cancer.

4. Dr. Gary Hunninghake: Lung Disease
Explained
The interstitium is a microscopic layer that lines the alveoli, where
the oxygen inhaled by the lungs is transferred to the blood.
Interstitial lung disease is a broad range of conditions that affect the
interstitium. Since the heart pumps and receives blood through the
vessels, lung diseases that include pulmonary embolism and
hypertension may also affect these.
About the author: Gary Hunninghake, MD, is a pulmonary specialist
who spent 30 years as a professor at the University of Iowa School of
Medicine.