Emphysema

Emphysema

    * Introduction
    * Clinical
    * Diagnosis
    * Treatment
    * Complications
Emphysema is a pathological distention of the lungs, which can occur in acute-crisis asthmaticus, with a good chance of healing, or may develop chronic.
Chronic pulmonary emphysema often occurs after a chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive bronchitis of smokers older than 50 years. Disease rarely occurs in adults under 40 years due to a hereditary enzyme defect (absence of inhibitor of alpha-1-proteinase).
The appearance of emphysema may be conditioned by professional reasons: exposure to dust, chemicals or mechanical supradistensie. At least in the case of exposure to dust and chemicals, the occurrence of emphysema is preceded by chronic bronchitis is triggered by reaction to foreign bodies (dust) or by direct irritation of the respiratory system (chemicals). If mechanical supradistensiilor lung alveoli expand pulonare excessive, until a crack forms and emphysema.
Emphysema is classified as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD (chronic obstructive bronchitis with asthma).
Definition
Emphysema is an obstructive pulmonary disease (preceded by chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive bronchitis), which is characterized by distension of the lung parenchyma due to expansion of the alveoli punched.
Etiology
Depending on the cause, emphysema can occur in acute or chronic form.
Acute emphysema of the lungs is reversible distension due stenozarii subsegmentare short of bronchial asthma. It is assumed that one of the causes of chronic pulmonary emphysema is an imbalance between enzymes and the protective role with the role of destruction of alveoli. In inflammatory processes in the lung, granulocytes (white blood cells with defensive role) releases enzymes cleave role of tissue. Prevention is extreme reactions by neutralizing the role of an enzyme, which circulates in the blood: alpha-1 inhibitor-proteinase (also called alpha-1-antitrypsin). Therefore, individuals who have a congenital absence of the enzyme inhibitor alpha-1-Proteinase develop a severe form of emphysema. This is seen by lack of enzymatic defect but very rarely (1-2% of all cases).
The most common cause of chronic pulmonary emphysema is the smoking. Besides the fact that cigarette smoke contains substances that inactivate α1-proteinase inhibitors, smokers have an increased risk of infection. Repeated inflammation leads to chronic bronchitis bronhiior. A cough is a typical manifestation morning upon awakening, called "smoker's cough, sputum production is associated with bad breath. As a result of distension of the airways, lung elasticity fails with the years, expands the lungs are poorly vascularized, and irreversible lung tissue atrophy.
The appearance of pulmonary emphysema can be determined and professional reasons: - Supradestinderea lung mechanics (by wind); - Exposure to dust and irritants. These particles are found in fragments of stone mining in general, but in different combinations such as organic feed, raw cotton; - Chemical potential risk factors include aluminum, beryllium, cadmium. Supradestinderea mechanical cause lung alveolar distension, followed by emphysema. Constantly subjected to this risk occupational groups are: - Musicians (trumpeters) - Winds in the bottle (in the past).;
If for each individual case evidence to certify that the appearance of emphysema was determined by one of the reasons listed, there is the possibility of recognizing these problems as an occupational disease.