In 2021, an estimated 14 million adults in the United States reported a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. If you’re not sure what the ...

Emphysema is not hereditary. It usually results from smoking or exposure to other harmful lung irritants. However, a rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) passed down in ...

Emphysema happens gradually as tobacco smoke or other pollutants damage the tiny air sacs in your lungs called alveoli. Normally, some 300 million alveoli help bring oxygen into your body and get rid ...

Long-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with emphysema and worsening lung functioning, offering an explanation for emphysema in non-smokers, according to a study published this week in the ...

Emphysema is a disease that makes it hard for you to catch your breath. Stage 4 means your emphysema is advanced and that your breathing is very severely affected. At this stage, smoking or other ...

Surgical emphysema is another term for subcutaneous emphysema. It occurs when air or gas enters the subcutaneous tissue, which is the deepest layer of the skin. People can develop surgical emphysema ...

Chronic emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by damage to the air sacs in the lungs. Although there is no cure, you can manage the disease with lifestyle changes ...

With emphysema, you can have symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. Your symptoms can ...