The lungs are the central part of the respiratory system. Inhaled air travels through the nose or mouth and into the lungs through the trachea (windpipe). The bloodstream transports oxygen-rich blood throughout the body from the lungs. Exhaled air removes carbon dioxide from the body. Disorders and diseases of the lungs interfere with the process of supplying oxygen to and removing carbon dioxide from the body.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD covers a group of disorders inhibiting free breathing and causing impaired breathing. Chronic bronchitis, or inflammation of the bronchial tubes, produces a cough with copious amounts of mucus. Clogged air passages from mucus buildup cause heavy coughing. Emphysema, a COPD, causes progressive lung damage. Damaged tissue inside the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange produces low blood-oxygen levels that permanently damage the lungs.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the air spaces in the lungs. Causative agents include exposure to bacteria, viruses and fungi. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports pneumonia as the No. 6 leading cause of death in the United States. Viral pneumonia, frequently a complication of the flu, causes about 50 percent of all pneumonia cases. Bacterial pneumonia treatment typically includes antibiotics.
Pulmonary Embolism
A pulmonary embolism is the result of a blood clot, usually from the leg, breaking loose and traveling through the bloodstream to one of the lungs. Once the blood clot is in the lung, it poses a potentially life-threatening situation. A blocked artery in the lung causes symptoms, such as sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, low blood pressure and rapid heartbeat.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
ARDS is the abrupt failure of the respiratory system that is usually the result of some other disease or illness. According to the American Lung Association, ARDS usually occurs when a patient is hospitalized for a serious illness or injury. ARDS allows the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid more than with air. This prevents the bloodstream from having enough oxygen to supply the body's organs. As a result, the organs may shut down. About 190,000 Americans experience a bout with ARDS every year, with as high as a 30-percent fatality rate.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is small cell and non-small cell cancer that begins in the lungs. Metastatic cancer to the lungs has an origin in another location that spreads to the lungs. Lung cancer may take years to progress to a point where symptoms begin to appear. The American Cancer Society reported in 2009 that lung cancer deaths account for about 28 percent of all cancer deaths. More women than men develop lung cancer.
