what does emphysema does to the body?

Answer 1

Emphysema does destroy the alveoli. Why is this bad?

Since the alveoli are where oxygen and CO2 transfer take place, this is BAD--your blood won't get much oxygen. This is why you see emphysema patients walking around with oxygen tanks and masks; inhaling the high concentration of oxygen (remember that air is only a fraction oxygen) is they only way they can facilitate enough exchange that their bodies can keep running.

But emphysema also makes the lungs less elastic, which causes another major problem: they don't deflate.

Elasticity of the lungs, as I assume you're aware, means that the lung will go back to its original size if you're not actively inhaling or holding your breath. Our body depends on this for exhalation. We have relatively weak muscles, intercostal muscles, that aid in exhalation when we're working out, but they generally aren't used in day to day life. With emphysema patients, they are used with every breath. this means that every breath they take is labored and painful.

Not a fun disease to have.

Answer 2

According to the fact sheet cited below:

"What to look for...
Typical symptoms of emphysema include:
· breathlessness, worsening over the years.
· a chronic, mild cough, sometimes accompanied by a small amount of phlegm brought on by the slightest exertion.
· chewing and swallowing may be hard
· in severe cases a ‘barrel shaped’ chest.

Emphysema is a potentially fatal lung disease and is characterised by a shortness of breath followed by coughing. Emphysema is most often caused by excessive and heavy smoking.

There is no cure for this disease but seeing a Doctor may be able to help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Emphysema results when the alveoli the tiny air sacs and the narrow passages leading to them become enlarged. These sacs are responsible for taking oxygen to the bloodstream and drawing out carbon dioxide waste. But when the lungs' airways become constricted or damaged, the lung tissues lose their elasticity and become damaged and breathing becomes difficult. This is because the damage prevents the lungs from supplying the blood with enough oxygen .

This disease is most common in heavy smokers usually over 40 years of age. "

Answer 3

basically, lungs become swiss cheese so oxygen exchange is harder and the sufferers have trouble breathing.
classic emphysematic is a "pink puffer" - trouble breathing, but not anoxic .e. needing oxygen.
the cause is smoking or hereditary or environmental.

Answer 4

kills the alveoli in the lungs.
alveoli = air sacs.
therefore making it harder to breathe.