pulmonary emphysema
Emphysema is a condition of the lung marked by abnormal enlargement of the alveoli with loss of pulmonary elasticity. Most commonly, emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema.
AI overview
Emphysema is a lung condition in which the tiny air sacs (alveoli) become abnormally enlarged and lose their elasticity, making it harder for the lungs to function properly. It matters because this permanent damage to the air spaces reduces the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide efficiently, affecting breathing and overall health.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Medical condition (new).name
- Emphysema
- Medical condition (new).image
- Emphysema, centrilobular (4563270814).jpg
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Advanced centrilobular emphysema showing total lobule involvement on the left side
- Medical condition (new).field
- Pulmonology
- Medical condition (new).symptoms
- Shortness of breath, chronic cough
- Medical condition (new).onset
- Over 40 years old
- Medical condition (new).duration
- Long term
- Medical condition (new).causes
- Tobacco smoking, air pollution, genetics
- Medical condition (new).diagnosis
- Spirometry, Lung Function Test
- Medical condition (new).differential
- Asthma, congestive heart failure, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, obliterative bronchiolitis, diffuse panbronchiolitis
- Medical condition (new).prevention
Article
28 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Types
- Centrilobular
- Panlobular
- Complications
- Paraseptal
- Bullous
- Paracicatricial
- HIV associated
- Alpha-1 related
- Ritalin lung
- CPFE
- SRIF
- Congenital lobar
- Focal
- Occupational
- Ozone-induced emphysema
- Osteoporosis
- Other terms
- Lung volume reduction
- Surgical
- Bronchoscopic
- Other surgeries
- In other tissues
- History
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Emphysema is a condition of the lung marked by abnormal enlargement of the alveoli with loss of pulmonary elasticity. Most commonly, emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema.
Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by enlarged air-filled spaces in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alveoli, which replace the spongy lung tissue. This reduces the total alveolar surface available for gas exchange leading to a reduction in oxygen supply for the blood. Emphysema usually affects the middle aged or older population because it takes time to develop with the effects of tobacco smoking and other risk factors. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic risk factor that may lead to the condition presenting earlier.