Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often called COPD, refers to a group of diseases that prevent the lungs from working normally. C stands for chronic because the disease is constant and irreversible. O stands for obstructive because the...
The respiratory system consists of the lungs, airways and muscles that assist in breathing. This system of organs and tissues controls how an individual inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide. When heavy breathing occurs, it usually manifests...
Smokers pay a price for their habit that reaches beyond the cost of cigarettes and the inconvenience of being excluded from certain restaurants and businesses. According to the American Lung Association, 393,000 Americans die from smoking-related...
Asbestosis is a chronic condition caused by long-term inhalation and retention of asbestos fibers, which affect lung tissue, causing inflammation and a buildup of fibrous tissue. People with this condition are at high risk of certain types of...
The respiratory system consists of the nose, mouth, trachea, bronchial tubes, lungs and diaphragm and functions to supply oxygen to the blood for delivery throughout the body. As humans breathe, air enters the nose and mouth, and travels through...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a disease affecting the lungs that blocks airflow and results in difficulty breathing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is most often made up of a combination the lung diseases emphysema and...
Mucus is a diffusion barrier present in your respiratory tract that works against contact with noxious substances, such as smoke, according to Colorado State University. Smoking can cause Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which causes excess...
Wheezing is a high-pitched, squeaking, whistling sound that is caused by airflow through narrowed smaller airways. Many people associate wheezing with asthma. Asthma is one of the most common diseases that produces wheezing, but there are other...
The lungs are critical for taking in oxygen and transferring it into the blood. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as chronic obstructive lung disease, impairs the function of the lungs by making it harder for air to get in and out...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is often caused by long-term smoking. It is a leading cause of illness and death throughout the world, according to the Mayo Clinic. COPD actually refers to a group of lung diseases, including emphysema and...
Lung damage begins early for smokers, as smoking quickly interferes with proper lung function. The condition of the lungs worsens as a person continues to smoke. Smokers usually realize the lung damage they are causing when they start to have...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, causes difficulty breathing and is usually accompanied by persistently coughing up mucus, which is often the first sign of its presence. Common forms of COPD include chronic bronchitis and emphysema....
Anxiety is a ubiquitous experience. When severe, it can indicate a psychiatric problem. Various medical conditions can cause anxiety. Before concluding that anxiety stems from psychological problems, a physician should assess the patient to rule...
Few symptoms are as distressing and disabling as not being able to breathe well. Lung infections and injuries are common causes of short-term breathing trouble. Chronic lung diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung...
About 46 million adults in the United States smoke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and the habit is the leading preventable cause of mortality in the United States. In fact, its effects are not limited to...
Numerous conditions or factors can cause rapid weight loss. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for your overall health and can help you ward off many diseases and...
Numerous conditions can cause poor circulation in the hands and feet. According to the Franklin Institute--the oldest science education center in the United States--the circulatory system is comprised of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. In some...
For a quick summary of the diseases and illnesses caused by smoking cigarettes, consumers need only glance at the product labels. The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General requires labeling to warn tobacco users of their risk for three major,...
Tiredness and shortness of breath can be caused by a wide variety of diseases. These are two distinct symptoms, and while some conditions can cause both, other conditions may lead to one or the other. Individuals who feel like they have excessive...
The lungs contain a branching system of airways leading to the air sacs, where gas exchange occurs. Each branch division gives rise to narrower airways, akin to branching tree limbs. The bronchi are the larger airways of the lungs. Infections,...
Breathing is both a controlled and automatic gesture. It is something often taken for granted until it becomes difficult to do. Some lung diseases are a result of poor lifestyle choices such as smoking, while others are an inherited problem. Many...
Heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are two of the leading causes of death not only in the United States but in many countries around the world. The combination of an energy-dense diet and low amounts of physical activity are...
An elevated heart rate can come on suddenly. In some cases, the cause of faster than normal heart rate, known as tachycardia, is never determined. There are a variety of conditions that can cause the heart rate to increase above normal. Rapid...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a progressive disease of the lungs that causes difficulty breathing. The disease affects more than 12 million people in the United States, making it the fourth leading cause of death, according to...
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking is the cause for nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths in the United States. Seventy percent of current smokers report they want or are trying to quit. In 2007, 47 million...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a lung disorder that causes breathing difficulties. COPD is caused by cigarette smoking and breathing in irritants such as dust, chemical fumes and polluted air. Diabetes is a chronic disorder...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also called COPD, causes breathing problems that get progressively worse over time, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Air pollution, chemical...
Bronchodilators are medicines used to relax the smooth muscle around the airways to "open up" the lungs. They can relieve spasm in these muscles as well. This group of medicines is used to treat asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,...
It's common to hear or see information about the importance of eating a healthy diet on television, in magazines or online. Eating well and exercising regularly is vital for weight control and lowering your risk of developing serious medical...
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an illness of the lungs often caused by smoking. Learn more about the symptoms and treatments for COPD in this health video.
Emphysema is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease most often caused by exposure to tobacco smoke or toxic material. Learn more about emphysema, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
