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Diagram of alveoli with emphysema. Emphysema is a respiratory disease of the lower respiratory tract. [7] It is commonly caused by tobacco smoking but some people are affected who have never smoked. [14] The presence of emphysema is a clear risk factor for lung cancer, made stronger in those who smoke. [20] Early symptoms of emphysema vary.
Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE), describes a medical syndrome involving both pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The combination is most commonly found in male smokers. Pulmonary function tests typically show preserved lung volume with very low transfer factor.
This is typically conducted under the pretext of some other exam, so that the patient does not subconsciously change their baseline respiratory rate, as they might do if they were aware of the examiner observing their breathing. Adults normally breathe about 14 to 20 times per minute, while infants may breathe up to 44 times per minute. [3]
Respiratory diseases, or lung diseases, [1] are pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange difficult in air-breathing animals. They include conditions of the respiratory tract including the trachea , bronchi , bronchioles , alveoli , pleurae , pleural cavity , the nerves and muscles of respiration .
The diagnosis of COPD is established through spirometry although other pulmonary function tests can be helpful. A chest X-ray is often ordered to look for hyperinflation and rule out other lung conditions but the lung damage of COPD is not always visible on a chest x-ray. Emphysema, for example, can only be seen on CT scan.
In a highly compliant lung, as in emphysema, the elastic tissue is damaged by enzymes. These enzymes are secreted by leukocytes (white blood cells) in response to a variety of inhaled irritants, such as cigarette smoke. Patients with emphysema have a very high lung compliance due to the poor elastic recoil. They have extreme difficulty exhaling ...
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A review of systems (ROS), also called a systems enquiry or systems review, is a technique used by healthcare providers for eliciting a medical history from a patient. It is often structured as a component of an admission note covering the organ systems, with a focus upon the subjective symptoms perceived by the patient (as opposed to the objective signs perceived by the clinician).