Emphysema

1
Emphysema
2
Causes of Emphysema

• Normal lung tissue stretches when we breathe in
  and springs back when we breathe out (elastic
  recoil).
• In emphysema the elastin becomes permanently
• stretched and the lungs cannot force out the
  air.
• The alveoli surface area is reduced and they can
  burst.
• It occurs in 1 in 5 smokers and develops slowly
  over a
• period of 20 years

3
Normal Alveoli Emphysema
4
Symptoms of Emphysema

• Shortness of breath due to the difficulty of
  exhaling air with reduced lung elasticity. As a
  result it is difficult to inhale fresh air
  containing oxygen so the patient feels
  breathless.
• Rapid breathing as the smaller alveoli surface
  area results in reduced oxygen levels in the
  blood so the patient breathes rapidly to try to
  increase the oxygen.
• Chronic cough due to the body trying to remove
  damaged tissue and mucus which cannot be removed.
• Bluish skin colour due to low levels of oxygen in
  the blood as a result of poor gas diffusion in
  the lungs

5
Pulmonary Fibrosis
6
Pulmonary Fibrosis

• Caused when scars form on the epithelium lining
  of the lungs causing them to become thickened.
• This reduces the efficency of oxygen uptake by
  the blood (Ficks Law), as the diffusion pathway
  is increased.
• Also the volume of lungs that the air can contain
  is reduced.
• The scars also reduce lung elasticity meaning
  that after
• breathing in, the lungs dont spring back. So
  air is not
• expelled from the lungs as well

7
Symptoms of Fibrosis

• Shortness of breath especially when exercising
  as much of the lung air space has been replaced
  by scar tissue.
• Chronic dry cough because the scar tissue causes
  an
• obstruction which the body tries but cannot
  remove.
• Pain and discomfort in the chest due to the
  pressure and damage from scar tissue and
  persistent cough leading to more damage.
• Weakness and fatigue due to reduced oxygen
  intake,
• resulting in reduced cellular respiration

8

• Asthma

9

• Asthma is the result of a localised allergic
  reaction.
• It affects up to 10 of the world population.
• It accounts for 2000 deaths each year in the
  UK.
• It is caused by common allergens like pollen,
  animal fur, faeces of house dust mites.
• It can also be triggered or made worse by air
  pollution
• (e.g. sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ozone),
  cold air, infection anxiety and stress.

10
(No Transcript)
11
Effects of Asthma on body

• The allergen causes white blood cells in the
  linings of the bronchi and bronchioles to release
  a chemical called histamine causing
• the lining of the air ways to become inflamed.
• the cells of the epithelial lining to secrete
  larger amounts of mucus than normal.
• fluid to leave the capillaries and enter the
  airways.
• the muscle surrounding the bronchioles to
  contract and constrict the airways.

12
Symptoms of Asthma

• Greater difficulty in breathing because of the
  constriction of the bronchi and bronchioles,
  their inflamed linings and the additional fluid
  and mucus.
• A wheezing sound caused by air passing through
  constricted bronchi and bronchioles.
• A tight feeling in the chest due to being
  unable to ventilate the lungs adequately due to
  the constricted airways.
• Coughing as a reflex response to try to clear
  obstructed bronchi and bronchioles