Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involving damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. As a result, your body does not get the oxygen it needs. Emphysema makes it hard to catch your breath. You may also have a chronic cough and have trouble breathing during exercise.
The most common cause is cigarette smoking. If you smoke, quitting can help prevent you from getting the disease. If you already have emphysema, not smoking might keep it from getting worse. Treatment is based on whether your symptoms are mild, moderate or severe. Treatments include inhalers, oxygen, medications and sometimes surgery to relieve symptoms and prevent complications.
-
Emphysema(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060053&content_id={39330D56-C0E9-4D08-B98F-18EA7B3C410B}¬oc=1
Also available in Spanish http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=36807
- Emphysema(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/emphysema/DS00296/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Older Emphysema Drug Linked to Heart Deaths(09/16/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69319.html
- Cadmium Exposure Tied to Lung Disease(08/28/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68670.html
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/alpha1_antitrypsin/test.html
- Hyperinflated Lungs: What Does It Mean?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/hyperinflated-lungs/AN00684/METHOD=print
- Lung - Diagnosis of COPD and Asthma(National Lung Health Education Program) - http://www.nlhep.org/lung_diagnosis.html
- Spirometry(National Lung Health Education Program) - http://www.nlhep.org/spirom1.html
- Lung - Treatment of COPD and Asthma(National Lung Health Education Program) - http://www.nlhep.org/lung_trtmnt.html
- Lung Transplant(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/lung-transplant/MY00106/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Lung Volume Reduction Surgery(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=992745
- Patient Instructions for Inhaled Devices(American College of Chest Physicians) - Links to PDF - http://www.chestnet.org/patients/guides/inhaledDevices.php
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation: A Team Approach to Improving the Quality of Life(American College of Chest Physicians) - http://www.chestnet.org/patients/guides/pulmonary/
- Home Oxygen Therapy(American Association for Respiratory Care) - http://www.yourlunghealth.org/healthy_living/living/home_oxygen_therapy/
- Alpha1-Antitrypsin Deficiency or Inherited Emphysema(National Jewish Health) - http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/copd/about/alpha1-antitrypsin.aspx
- Emphysema: Does Cold Weather Make It Worse?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/emphysema/AN00708/METHOD=print
- Supplemental Oxygen on Commercial Air Carriers(UpToDate) - http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=lung_dis/5339&title=COPD+(Chronic+obstructive+pulmonary+disease)
- Images of Lungs(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22577
- Lung - Anatomy(National Lung Health Education Program) - http://www.nlhep.org/lung_anat.html
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Emphysema
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Emphysema%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Reconsidering lung surgery for emphysema. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18767227&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: a comparative study and review of the literature. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18721592&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Epigastric discomfort after outpatient endoscopy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18719136&tool=MedlinePlus
- Emphysema -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(emphysema[majr]+OR+pulmonary+emphysema[majr])+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American Lung Association - http://www.lungusa.org/
- National Emphysema Foundation - http://www.emphysemafoundation.org/
-
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
- National Lung Health Education Program - http://www.nlhep.org/
- FASTATS: Emphysema(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/emphsema.htm
- Bronchitis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bronchitis.html
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/copdchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease.html
- Lungs and Breathing - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lungsandbreathing.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Emphysema is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/