Health

E-cigarette vapor could lead to emphysema, study finds

Like tobacco, e-cigarettes affect a smoker's lungs and long-term exposure could lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – more commonly known as COPD or emphysema – according to the latest research by Central Michigan ...

Health

New stem-cell treatment: 'Hype is ahead of the science'

Before New York Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon pulled his hamstring while running from the mound to first base on June 11, fans would have been forgiven for thinking he had chugged from the Fountain of Youth.

Medical research

Mapping the destructive path from cigarette to emphysema

From the cherry red tip of a lighted cigarette through the respiratory tract to vital lung cells, the havoc created by tobacco smoke seems almost criminal, activating genes and portions of the immune system to create inflammation ...

Medical research

Reversing smoke-induced damage and disease in the lung

By studying mice exposed to tobacco smoke for a period of months, researchers have new insight into how emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develops. In the October 14th issue of Cell they also report ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Imaging could improve treatment of people with COPD

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) provide important information on the symptoms and exercise capabilities of people with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according ...

Medical research

Researchers breathe new life into COPD research using mouse models

The airways and lungs are affected by a range of diseases, but while some have been well characterized and treated, others, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), are still somewhat of an enigma. This condition ...

Cardiology

Heart disease beats breast cancer as the biggest killer

Breast cancer accounts for almost a third of all cancer cases reported in women. However advances in the treatment for breast cancer, and early detection, have improved the chances of survival from the disease. New research ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Isolating the molecules that trigger emphysema

Emphysema is the major debilitating component of the lethal chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which was the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2019, causing 3.23 million deaths.

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Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD (pulmonary refers to the lungs). Emphysema is called an obstructive lung disease because the destruction of lung tissue around smaller sacs, called alveoli, makes these air sacs unable to hold their functional shape upon exhalation. It is often caused by long-term exposure to air pollution or smoking.

The term emphysema means swelling and comes from the Greek ἐμφυσᾶν emphysan meaning inflate, itself composed of ἐν en meaning in and φυσᾶν physan meaning breath, blast.

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