You have certainly hear of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, also called COPD. Enfisema Pulmonar is a form of COPD. In general, COPDs manifest in the obstruction of airflow which results in the patient not being able to breathe normally. It is a sad fact, but COPDs are now ranked fourth among the causes of deaths in the United States. According to a recently conducted study, an estimated 12 million individuals are presently suffering from COPD. But that number is only based on those patients who were registered. Another 12 million or even more might be dealing with this health condition, but have not been diagnosed yet.
This diseases can be relatively diagnosed though a simple breathing test. One of the major causes of Enfisema Pulmonar is smoking. However, the condition can be contracted hereditary. In addition to that it can be caused by exposure to pollutants, such as asbestos fibers. A good number of patients have history of occupational asbestos exposure, which means they were in contact with the toxic fibers of the material over a long stretch of time.
The illness does not develop right away and as a matter of fact, the patient might not encounter any symptoms for years or decades. The usual symptoms that we see in patients with Enfisema Pulmonar are: persistent coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue. When the sacs of the lungs, the so called alveoli, get destroyed as the condition progresses, the lungs cannot function properly anymore. As a result, carbon dioxide instead of regular oxygen is being released into the blood stream.
This condition is irreversible, but can be treated effectively if detected early enough. Some patients may require supplemental oxygen support, though. In rare instances, a lung transplantation might become necessary. Needless to say that smokers are strongly advise to quit their habit.