Although lung transplants are often considered a last resort, more and more cases are seen with each passing year. The increased frequency of chronic obtrusive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension has all...
The months spent waiting for your new lung can be frightening. Take steps to get in shape before your lung transplant surgery to help your cardiovascular health, relax your mind and purposefully pass the time. Lung transplant recipients must...
Patients who have undergone a lung transplant are encouraged to follow very structured diet guidelines in an effort to promote proper recovery from the procedure. In addition, most patients are prescribed medications, such as prednisone, that can...
Interstitial lung disease is not a specific disease, but rather the name for a group of pulmonary disorders that cause scarring of the lung tissue. Eventually, the scarring makes breathing difficult and adequate oxygen cannot get into the...
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic disease that causes scarring and thickening of lung tissue. Scar tissue replaces healthy lung tissue, which causes your lungs to swell and stiffen. Breathing becomes more difficult as the disease gets worse....
Nitric oxide is a gas that in your body acts as a signaling molecule. It causes the blood vessels to relax, increasing the blood flow to the surrounding muscles. Nitric oxide supplements are used as an ergogenic aid; these supplements do not...
Mucus, medically known as sputum or phlegm, is a secretion produced in the lungs during infection, irritation or inflammation. Mucus keeps the nasal passages and throat lubricated. Sometimes, pollen, foreign particles or even bacteria get trapped...
As a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) ages, complications from this chronic disease continue to develop. Respiratory infections can become increasingly hard to treat as different types of bacteria infect the lungs. Teenagers with the disease begin...
Mucus is a thick fluid secreted by mucus cells that are located in various organs. Mucus acts as a protective barrier and filter by coating the lining of organs to trap foreign substances. When foreign substances become trapped in the mucus, they...
Treatments for pulmonary disease are aimed at controlling symptoms, reducing the risk of complications and improving quality of life, according to MayoClinic.com.While in-depth treatments are based on the specific lung disease, there are a number...
No cure yet exists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are grouped under the COPD medical condition. COPD causes shortness of breath, which gets worse as the disease progresses. Treatment is available...
Cystic fibrosis, the most common autosomal recessive inherited disease among Caucasians, was once considered a disease of children, simply because children with the disorder didn't survive to adulthood. In 2010, due to improved treatments, around...
COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a growing public health problem. According to the November 2006 issue of the "Public Library of Science Medicine," there were at the time 210 million people suffering from COPD worldwide. By 2020,...
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, or AAT, is a rare genetic disorder that causes lung and liver damage in young people. It can lead to the need for transplantation of both organs in order to save your life. There is no known cure for this condition,...
Mucus is a slick fluid secreted from mucus cells that are located inside of the organs in the body. The main function of mucus is to provide protection. Mucus protects by coating the lining of organs and keeping them moist, as well as trapping...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease in which the airways and air sacs in the lungs lose their elasticity, airways become swollen and obstructed and mucus production rises. This condition is not reversible even with...
Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps in conjunction with the amount of blood flow resistance by the arteries. An increase in the amount of blood being pumped by the heart combined with a decrease in the diameter of...
Pulmonary hypertension is a lifelong chronic disease that anyone, including athletes in top physical condition, can develop, and may lead to serious damage or even failure of the heart and lungs if left untreated. Fortunately, athletes with this...
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...
Heart failure is defined as the point at which the heart fails to pump enough blood throughout the body, resulting in fluid retention in the feet, ankles, legs and lungs. It also causes fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and night coughs. CDC...
Drug abuse can damage many parts of the body, including the respiratory system. While smoking is a well-known cause of lung disease, injecting drugs can lead to life-threatening respiratory conditions as well. Avoiding drug abuse or choosing an...
The lungs, along with the heart, sustain life with every breath. Hence, diseases of the lung are a serious health concern. Lung diseases can arise due to inflammatory, infectious, genetic and environmental causes. Accurate diagnosis is the key to...
Pulmonary fibrosis, or PF, occurs when the lining of your lungs becomes so scarred it cannot carry oxygen to the rest of your body. Each year approximately 48,000 American cases are diagnosed, according to the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis...
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and ultimately fatal lung disease diagnosed in about 30,000 Americans each year. "Idiopathic" refers to the fact that there is no known cause in most cases. It occurs mostly in middle-aged and older...
Your breathing reserve is the difference between the volume of air you breathe under regular resting conditions and your maximum breathing capacity. Breathing reserve is measured during cardiopulmonary exercise tests, which are sometimes used to...
Your body needs vitamin K2 for functions such as blood clotting. The small intestine can form some vitamin K2; however, supplementation may benefit health in a number of ways. Talk to your doctor before beginning a vitamin regimen to prevent,...
Of the K vitamins, K-2 is one of the most bioavailable forms, meaning that it can be readily used by the body. Although vitamin K-2 is produced by the body, supplementation may help improve health conditions, especially where a deficiency is...
Obstructive lung disease, commonly referred to as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD, is a group of respiratory disorders which block airflow into the lungs and make breathing difficult. Disorders include emphysema, chronic bronchitis...
Asbestosis is a lung disorder that occurs when tiny asbestos fibers are breathed into the lungs, collecting there and scarring the lung tissue. Over time, this scarring harms the lungs' ability to exchange gases, which can lead to difficulty...
Pulmonary hypertension is a build up of high pressure in the lungs. Learn more about pulmonary hypertension and how to treat it in this medical video.
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos. Sufferers have severe shortness of breath and are at an increased risk regarding several...
