Respiratory Diseases: Emphysema Essay

D.Z., a 65-year-old man, is admitted to a medical floor for exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; emphysema). He has a past medical history of hypertension, which has been well controlled by Enalapril (Vasotec) for the past 6 years. He has had pneumonia yearly for the past 3 years, and has been a 2-pack-a-day smoker for 38 years. He appears as a cachectic man who is experiencing difficulty breathing at rest. He reports cough productive of thick yellow-green sputum. D.Z. seems irritable and anxious; he complains of sleeping poorly and states that lately feels tired most of the time. His vital signs (VS) are 162/84, 124, 36, 102 F, SaO2 88%. His admitting diagnosis is an acute

As a result of emphysema there is a significant loss of alveolar attachments, which contributes to peripheral airway collapse. There are two major types of emphysema according to the distribution within the acinus and they are; (i) centrolobular emphysema which involves dilatation and destruction of the respiratory bronchioles; and (ii) panlobular emphysema which involves destruction of the whole of the acinus. According to theory, centrolobular is the most common type of emphysema in COPD and is more prominent in the upper zones, while panlobular predominates in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and is more prominent in the lower zones. In relation to patients D.Z. with emphysema, the walls between the tiny air sacs in the lungs are damaged due to long-term cigarette smoking effect on his lungs as evidenced by patient c/o difficulty breathing at rest and productive cough with thick yellow-green sputum r/t a

A female patient 83 years of age has been diagnosed with Emphysema and has had this disease for 10 years. She has been in good shape her whole life and has been big into health and fitness. However, the critical etiological risk factor was that she participated in tobacco smoking for a brief period of her 20’s. She was informed of the disease by visiting a general practioner and therefore getting referred to a respiratory specialist. The laboratory tests used to establish her diagnosis included a lung function test, X ray and sleep apnoea test in hospital overnight. Her most common symptoms include shortness of

Emphysema is the most common cause of death from respiratory disease in the United States and is generally caused by several years of heavy cigarette smoking (Olendorf, 2000). When a person smokes, the body’s immune system tries to fight off the invading smoke by using certain substances. These substances can also attack the cells of the lungs, but normally the body is able to release other substances to prevent this. In the case of people who are smokers, this doesn’t happen and the original substances that were released to fight off the smoke also end up injuring the cells of the lungs as well. Eventually, the lungs will not be able to supply enough oxygen to the blood and a host of problems can occur with this. Risk factors that have been identified for emphysema include exposure to tobacco smoke either through active or passive smoking (2nd hand smoke), occupational exposure such as dust or chemicals, ambient air pollution, or genetic abnormalities, including a deficiency of alpha-antitrypsin, an enzyme inhibitor that normally counteracts the destruction of lung tissue by certain other enzymes (Smeltzer, 2010). The symptoms of emphysema develop gradually over many years. It is generally characterized by three primary symptoms: chronic cough, sputum production, and dyspnea on exertion. Other signs and symptoms include weight loss and the development of a

Factors that contribute to homeostasis of the system occur throughout the entire day and night, without conscious thought. The respiratory system functions for life-sustaining activities and if the respiratory system’s tasks are interrupted for any reason for more than a couple of minutes, the body can seriously be damaged irreversibly. Damage to tissues can occur, followed by the failure of all body systems, and eventually leading to death. While the inhalation of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide are the primary functions of the respiratory system, it has other important roles in the body. The respiratory system helps regulate the balance of acid and base in tissues, a process necessary for the normal functioning of cells within the respiratory system. It also helps protects the body against pathogens and against toxic substances drifting in the air when inhaled. The respiratory system also houses the cells that detect smell through chemoreceptors, and assists in the production of sounds. The respiratory and circulatory systems work with one another to deliver oxygen to cells and remove carbon dioxide in a bi-phase process called respiration otherwise known as breathing. The first phase of respiration begins with inspiration or inhalation. Inhalation brings

I would tell the doctor to stop if he didn’t start and grab a manual ventilator and try to find a replacement mechanical ventilator.

During expiration, the diaphragm and all of the surrounding muscles relax. This allows the chest cavity to return to its original volume.

When you breath, air travels through tubes in your lungs to millions of tiny air sacs. In a healthy and functioning lung, the airways are open and the air sac fill up with air. Then the air goes back out quickly. COPD makes it hard to get air through the airways and into and out of the air sacs. COPD includes both Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema. Chronic bronchitis is increased cough and mucus production caused by inflammation of the airways. Emphysema is damage of the air sacs.

Breathing is a vital process for every human. Normal breathing is practically effortless for most people, but those with asthma face a great challenge. During an asthma attack, breathing is hampered, making it difficult or even impossible for air to flow through the lungs. Asthma is an increasingly common problem, and has become the most common chronic childhood disease. At least 17 million Americans suffer from it(1), and although it can be fatal, it is usually not that severe(4). There is no cure for asthma, but with proper care, it can usually be controlled.

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 for

Emphysema affects the parenchyma of the lung through destruction of the alveolar walls, leading to permanent enlargement of air spaces distal to the

The main organs of the respiratory system are the lungs – they are the location where the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. The lungs therefore expand when you breathe in, and retract when you breathe out. This is done through the diaphragm – a sheet of muscle that is positioned under the lungs. As one inhales, their diaphragm contracts and moves itself downward, increasing the space for your lungs to expand to. The ribs also move to enlarge the possible area the lungs can expand to. This pressure causes air to be sucked through the body to the lungs. When one exhales, the opposite takes place – the diaphragm moves upwards and returns to normal, allowing the process to happen again.

Respiratory disease is a term which encompasses a wide range of diseases that effect the lungs. Examples of respiratory diseases include, but are not limited to: asthma, tuberculosis and lung cancer (US National Library of Medicine, 2016). Lung diseases are classified as either obstructive or restrictive.

The human body comprises of two respiratory sponges called lungs. The left lung is slightly smaller than the right as it makes room for placement of the heart. Due to this slightly smaller size, it only contains two lobes whereas the right lung has 3 lobes. Both lungs are host to the network of air sacs or alveoli which transport the air from the outside environment to the external and internal respiration processes.

As air sacs are destroyed, the lungs are able to transfer less and less oxygen to the bloodstream, causing shortness of breath. The lungs also lose their elasticity, which is important to keep airways open. The patient experiences great difficulty exhaling. Emphysema doesn't develop suddenly, it comes on very gradually.