What Is the Effect of Emphysema on the Lungs?
Emphysema is a chronic respiratory disease in the category of diseases known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The condition makes breathing difficult and prevents adequate oxygen from reaching the bloodstream. The effect of emphysema on the lungs is extremely destructive, and damage is irreversible, though symptoms and progression can be managed to some extent. The effect of emphysema on the lungs is a gradual destruction of lung tissue, particularly in the air sacs that help the lungs expel carbon dioxide when breathing. As the sacs are damaged, the effect of emphysema on the lungs increases, causing the lungs to lose elasticity and be unable to fully deflate when breathing out. This process means that on each breath, old air remains trapped in the lungs, preventing new, oxygenated air from entering and supplying the body.
