Stop Smoking and Stay away from Emphysema Disease that Claims More than 120,000 American lives per Year

Emphysema occurs when there is impaired gas exchange. It is due to the destruction of the walls of the lungs because the alveoli become over distended. Risk factors for emphysema include environmental exposures and host factors. The most important risk factor that leads to emphysema is cigarette smoking. It is the end stage of a process that has progressed slowly for many years.

In United States, there are 3.1 million Americans who have been diagnosed with emphysema and 11.2 million American adults have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease. It is said that emphysema kills about 120,000 American per year.

The cigar, pipes and tobacco smoking are also included in risk factor. Genetic abnormalities including a deficiency in certain enzyme may play a significant factor why they are risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In addition, passive smoking also contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The action of cigarette smoking is, it depresses the activity of the cells thus; affect the cleansing mechanism of the respiratory tract which keeps the breathing passages free of inhaled irritants, bacteria and any foreign matter.

When smoking damages this cleansing mechanism, the flow of the air becomes obstructed and the air trapped behind the obstruction which leads to decrease lung capacity.

Smoking is not only the risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Other factors include prolonged and intense exposure to dusts and chemicals, indoor air pollution, and outdoor air pollution, which adds to the total burden of inhaled particles of the lungs.

Emphysema is characterized by three primary symptoms: cough, sputum production and difficulty of breathing upon exertion. These symptoms often worsen over time. Chronis cough and sputum production often precedes the development of the airflow limitation by years.

However, not all individual that has cough and sputum production will develop emphysema. Symptoms like difficulty of breathing in person with emphysema may become severe as progresses and it will interfere with activities. Weight loss is also expected because difficulty of breathing interferes with eating, and the work of breathing is energy- depleting.

Emphysema has major life threatening complications because it can cause respiratory insufficiency and respiratory failure. The acuity of the onset and the severity of the respiratory failure depend on the baseline pulmonary function.

The management for this is just smoking cessation. Smoking cessation is the most effective management to prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or just slow the progression of disease.

Person who diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who continues to smoke must be encouraged and assisted to quit.