Damage to these air sacs leads to holes in the lung tissues.

Johnny Carson (), night talk show for 30 years, died of emphysema

(), total lung disease. Carsonwas diagnosis of emphysema in 2002. What is emphysema, it can be stopped, and how to treat? WebMD turned to Cleveland Clinic and the American Association of easy answers. What is emphysema? Emphysema is irreversible destruction of alveolar walls is at the end of the bronchi (). Damaged air sacs, called alveoli

() can not exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and blood. As a result, a person will develop symptoms, including shortness of breath, cough, and limited capacity to provide itself. Lung tissue loses its elasticity and collapse when the person exhales, the seizure of air into the lungs. Trapped air keeps fresh air and oxygen entering the lungs. What is the cause of emphysema? Smoking causes about 80 to 90 percent of deaths from emphysema. Air pollution and occupational dust may also contribute to emphysema, especially when people are exposed to these substances cigarette smoker. The genetic abnormality called

alpha-1-antitrypsin () can also cause emphysema. Cigarette smoke causes emphysema by destroying the tiny air sacs in the lungs. Damage to these air sacs leads to holes in the lung tissues. Usually it takes years of smoking before emphysema symptoms develop - but once the damage done cant be undone. How many people have emphysema? The number of people with emphysema rose from 2. 3000000 in 1982 3. 1 million in 2002. Many people with emphysema and chronic bronchitis

(), still largely state lungs caused by smoking. Cardiovascular disease, often caused by smoking, are also often present. Emphysema usually occurs after 45 years. Men tend to develop emphysema more frequently. However, his confidence emphysema rates in women will increase, since smoking is now more common among women. At the other conditions of light, mainly caused by smoking, such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. kills more than 120,000 Americans a year. What are the symptoms of emphysema? Early symptoms include shortness of breath and cough. People with emphysema often have chronic bronchitis, in which a person develops a long cough that produces mucus. Wheezing is often present in people with emphysema. As emphysema treated? Lung damage due to emphysema is irreversible. The most important treatment to quit smoking. Quitting smoking will help slow the progression of emphysema. Treatment also improves shortness of breath. Medicines, including inhalers to help relax and open lung airways, which are often used. Anti-inflammatory steroids are also used if a person has a sudden deterioration with increasing dyspnea. Exercise can be very useful to help strengthen the respiratory muscles and improve the general condition. Rarely, surgery is performed. Lung transplantation may be effective in some cases. For a new operation, called light reduction of operations can help improve breathing. In this activity the most severely affected areas of the lung is removed. This procedure is very risky in people with very severe emphysema and research has shown that these people are at increased risk of death during the operation. What is the prognosis of emphysema? Although emphysema can not be cured, its symptoms can be treated and the quality of your life can be improved. Forecast and outlook for the future depends on how well light symptoms, and how lasix 50 mg iv well a person responds to treatment and should be. Can emphysema be prevented? Since most people who develop emphysema are smokers, the best way to prevent this lung disease is smoking. K, MD, reviewed, MD

SOURCE: Cleveland Clinic. American Lung Association. .