Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease that makes it difficult to empty air out of the lungs.
Emphysema is a condition that involves damage
to the walls of the air sacs (alveoli) of the lung making it difficult to breath.
The lungs are sponge-like structures that lies within the chest, protected by the ribcage.
They are made up of progressively branching air passages, the smallest of which end in minute air sacs(alveoli)
In these air sac inhaled oxygen is transferred to the blood stream and carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood into the exhaled breath. (Respiration)
2. OUTLINE
What is emphysema
Brief overview of the lungs
Pathophysiology of emphysema
Classification of emphysema
Causes of emphysema
Signs and symptoms
Medical complication
Diagnosis
Treatment
Overview
References
3. WHAT IS EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD) is a preventable
and treatable disease that makes
it difficult to empty air out of the
lungs.
Emphysema is a condition that involves damage
to the walls of the air sacs (alveoli) of the lung making it
difficult to breath.
4. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LUNGS
The lungs are sponge-like structures that lies within the
chest, protected by the ribcage.
They are made up of progressively branching air
passages, the smallest of which end in minute air
sacs(alveoli)
In these air sac inhaled oxygen is transferred to the
blood stream and carbon dioxide is transferred from the
blood into the exhaled breath. (Respiration)
6. PATHPHYSIOLOGY OF EMPHYSEMA
The airways of healthy lungs have elastic properties.
When you breathe in each air sac fills up with air, and when
you breathe out, the air sac deflate and air goes out.
Continued exposure to noxious substances, causes
destruction of the walls of the alveoli.
The alveolar membrane surface area decreases, thus
lessening the area available for gas exchange
Destruction of pulmonary capillary occurs
7.
8. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF EMPHYSEMA
When the alveoli walls are destroyed, the lungs lose their
capacity to recoil and air becomes trapped in the lungs
(hyperinflation).
The destroyed lung tissue (called blebs) results in
alveolar collapse
The combination of constantly having extra air in the
lungs and the extra effort needed to breathe results in a
person feeling short of breath
9.
10. PATHOPYSIOLOGY OF EMPHYSEMA
Airway obstruction occurs in emphysema because the
alveoli that normally support the airways cannot do so
during inhalation or exhalation.
Without their support, the breathing tubes collapse,
causing obstruction to the flow of air.
12. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema has four principal classification, classified
according to the site of damage. These are;
Centriacinar emphysema
Panacinar emphysema
Paraseptal emphysema
Irregular emphysema
13. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPHYSEMA
Centriacinar emphysema
Also called centrilobular emphysema
Occurs with damage to lung tissue around respiratory
bronchioles whilst sparing distal alveoli
Associated with long-standing cigarette smoking
14. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPHYSEMA
Panacinar emphysema
Also called panlobular emphysema
Involves all lung fields, particularly the bases
Generally observed in patients with alpha1-antitrypsin
(AAT) deficiency.
15. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPHYSEMA
Paraseptal emphysema
Also known as distal acinar emphysema
Involves the dilation of distal airway structures, alveolar
ducts, and alveolar sacs.
16. CLASSIFICATION OF EMPHYSEMA
Irregular emphysema
Commonly known as paraciatricial emphysema
Emphysematous changes adjacent to areas of pulmonary
scarring.
17. CAUSES OF EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema can be cause by irritant you breathe in;
Occupational exposure to chemical irritant
Exposure to environmental pollutant (certain fume,
coal or dust)
Inherited genetic defect – Alpha-1- antitrypsin deficiency
(AAT deficiency).
And the most likely cause is smoking
19. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Shortness of breath is the main symptom of emphysema
Wheezing
Cyanosis - characterize by blue or gray lips or fingernails
Hyperinflation
Barrel-shaped chest
Constant coughing or need to clear the throat
Difficulty concentrating
21. DIAGNOSIS OF EMPHYSEMA
Diagnosis can be made by performing physical
examination for symptom manifestation. These include;
Decreased breath sounds through the stethoscope
Rounded fingertips (clubbing)
Pursed-lip breathing (to counteract alveolar collapse)
Hypoxemia (hypoxia)
Hypercarbia: High levels of carbon dioxide in the
blood.
23. DIAGNOSIS OF EMPHYSEMA
Doctors can use various medical imaging techniques;
Chest X-ray- A chest X-ray
of someone with emphysema
may show abnormally large lungs
CT scan of chest - A CT scan
in someone with emphysema
may show small pockets of air
throughout the lung
24. DIAGNOSIS OF EMPHYSEMA
Other diagnosis of emphysema includes;
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) –
is a simple test that measures
airway obstruction.
Complete blood count
25. TREATMENT OF EMPHYSEMA
Treating emphysema focuses on improving emphysema
symptoms;
Smoking cessation
Medications are usually prescribed to widen the
airways (bronchodilators)
And reduce swelling in the airways
(anti-inflammatory drugs, such as
steroids)
Antibiotics (to treat lung infection)
26. TREATMENT OF EMPHYSEMA
Oxygen therapy
Lung volume reduction surgery - Surgical removal of
large areas of damaged lung
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Lung transplantation - This is the most drastic of
emphysema treatments
27. OVERVIEW OF EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema is a condition that involves damage to the
walls of the air sacs (alveoli) of the lung consequently
causing short of breath.
The damage walls causes the alveoli to be continuously
fill up with air which build up in these sacs, causing
expansion. The alveoli walls may break or become
damaged and form scar tissue.
Diagnosing emphysema usually requires physical exams
combined with medical imaging techniques.
While damaged airways don’t regenerate and there is no
cure, emphysema is preventable and the condition can
be managed using medications and adjustments to
lifestyle
28. REFERENCES
American Thoracic Society web site: "Standards for the
Diagnosis and Management of Patients with COPD."
Albert R. Clinical Respiratory Medicine, Mosby Elsevier,
2008.
American Lung Association web site: "Diseases A-Z:
Emphysema."
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute web site:
"Diseases and Conditions Index: COPD."
Traver G.A. American Review of Respiratory Disease,
1979; vol 119: pp 895-902.
Celli B.R., New England Journal of Medicine, 2004; vol
350: pp 1005-1012.
from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/298283-
overview
29. REFERENCES
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
ATS/ERS Standards for the Diagnosis and Management
of Patients with COPD,
http://www.thoracic.org/copd/patients_general.asp
http://www.copdfoundation.org/What-is-
COPD/Understanding-COPD/What-is-COPD.aspx
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/copd/about-
copd/understanding-copd.html
http://patients.thoracic.org/information-
series/en/resources/ATS_Patient_Ed_Breathlessness.pdf