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Emphysema: Diseases
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Emphysema is the most common cause of death from respiratory disease in the United States, and is the fourth most common cause of death overall. There are 1.8 million Americans with the disease, which ranks fifteenth among chronic conditions that cause limitations of activity. The disease is usually caused by smoking, but a small number of cases are caused by an inherited defect.
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Emphysema is a condition that is relatively easy to prevent. The best way to prevent the disease is not to smoke cigarettes or, if a person already smokes, to quit. A relatively small number of cases are caused by genetic factors, over which a person has no control. But the vast majority of emphysema cases result from cigarette smoking.
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Emphysema may ... be inherited. A protein called Alpha-1 antitrypsin exists in most people, and it protects the lungs from damage by pollutants. Occasionally, a person may not have inherited this protein from his parents. If a person is missing this protein, the deficiency will cause the person to be much more vulnerable to the disease.
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Emphysema affects more men than women, but almost always smokers or those who are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke. It is estimated that cigarette smoking is the cause of nearly 80% of all lung diseases, including emphysema. Quitting smoking will help slow the progression of emphysema.
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Emphysema is commonly associated with bronchitis and chronic bronchitis. Since it is difficult to delineate "pure" cases of emphysema or chronic bronchitis, they are generally grouped together as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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Emphysema is not curable, but it can be treated. Those who have it can be helped to live with it. It is a destructive disease for thousands ofNorth Americansand their families. Something can be done about emphysema today.
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