7 Lung Related Diseases

7 What are the different lung-related diseases?

1. Emphysema

2. Lung Cancer

3. Bronchitis

7.1 Chronic bronchitis

Above: Transverse sections of the bronchi from a normal individual and a chronic bronchitis patient.

• Prolonged exposure to irritant particles in the cigarette smoke causes inflammation of bronchi.

• Inner lining of the bronchi swells and becomes thicker, narrowing the air passages.

• Excess mucus secreted by epithelium.

• Cilia on epithelium are paralysed. Mucus and dust particles cannot be removed à blockage of airways.

• Difficulty in breathing.

• Persistent coughing occurs to clear the secretions in the air ways for easier breathing.

• Chronic bronchitis when untreated makes the lungs vulnerable to other lung infections.

Refer to the following URL for more information on chronic bronchitis. URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chronicbronchitis.html Visited on 10 August 2013.

7.2 Emphysema

• Smoking causes the alveolar walls to be weakened.

• Irritants induce violent coughing that breaks the partition walls between air sacs.

• Surface area for gaseous exchange is reduced.

• The lungs lose elasticity and become inflated with air.

• Breathing becomes difficult à wheezing and severe breathlessness.

• Emphysema is a chronic condition that limits air flow through the lungs.

• There is no cure for emphysema but stopping smoking can slow down the progression of the disease.

Refer to the following URL for more information on emphysema. URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/emphysema.html Visited on 10 August 2013.

7.3 Lung Cancer

• Smoking increases the risks of lung cancer, cancers of the mouth, throat, pancreas, kidneys and urinary bladder.