Emphysema Center - Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Pulmonologist Doctors for EmphysemaType of Physician: Pulmonologist What is a Pulmonologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on diseases of the lungs and airways. The pulmonologist diagnoses and treats pneumonia, cancer, asthma, occupational diseases, sleep disorders, emphysema, and other complex disorders of the lungs. Pulmonologists evaluate lung function, examine the bronchial airways, and prescribe and monitor mechanical ventilation. Many pulmonary disease experts are also expert in critical care. Specialty: Pulmonary Disease Common Name: Lung Doctor Pulmonologist Doctors in Bethesda * Drs Langevin Larsen Hamm & Cohen PC  Physician Associates  Drs Langevin Larsen Hamm & Cohen PC  Drs Langevin Larsen Hamm & Cohen PC  Drs Langevin Larsen Hamm & Cohen PC  Gita C Bakshi MD  Pulmonologists PC  Pulmonologists PC  Pulmonologists PC  Pulmonologists PC  Phillip W Poth MD  Drs Banadori Oser Seidelman & Tauber  Drs Banadori Oser Seidelman & Tauber  Drs Banadori Oser Seidelman & Tauber  Drs Banadori Oser Seidelman & Tauber  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Physicians Associates Pulmonary Medicine  Washington Regional Cardiac Surgery PC  Washington Adventist Hospital Pulmonary Medicine  Harold T Facen MD  Suresh Chandra Gupta MD  Alan S Chanales MD  Pediatric Pulmonary & Asthma Center  Pulmonologists PC  Pulmonologists PC  Pulmonologists PC  Advanced Internal Medicine PC  Gerardo Gacad MD  Revathy Murthy MD  Louis E Steinberg MD  Moti L Koul MD  Redjaee & Taleghani MDs  Fumikazu Kawakami MD  Warren & McClain MD Chartered  Mai-Chi Nguyen MD PA  Gary A Kazlow MD & Associates  Drs Farrell & Schaefer  Drs Farrell & Schaefer  Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Associates  Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Associates  Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Associates  Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Associates  Patel & Ramanan MDs  Patel & Ramanan MDs  Roberto Depetris MD  Philip Wisotsky & Louis Kaufman MDs  Southern MD Pulmonary & Critical Care  Southern MD Pulmonary & Critical Care  Southern MD Pulmonary & Critical Care  Amir M Alikhani MD  Baltimore Pulmonary and Critical Care PA  Baltimore Pulmonary and Critical Care PA  Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  James J Benjamin MD PA  Lung Associates of Anne Arundel PC  Elliott Gorbaty MD  Lung Associates of Anne Arundel PC  Lung Associates of Anne Arundel PC  Lung Associates of Anne Arundel PC  Lung Associates of Anne Arundel PC  Malik A Rehman MD  Jay Gertenblith MD  Joseph H Miller MD  Baltimore Pulmonary and Critical Care PA  Maryland Lung Associates PA  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Baltimore Pulmonary and Critical Care PA  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Internal Medicine Associates  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  David A Mishkin MD  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  David A Mishkin MD  David A Mishkin MD  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  David A Mishkin MD  Annapolis Allergy & Health Enhancement Center  United Doctors Medical Clinic  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates of Baltimore  Frederick Medical & Pulmonary  Frederick Medical & Pulmonary  Frederick Medical & Pulmonary  Ko-Pen Wang MD  Frederick Medical & Pulmonary  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care  University of Maryland Pulmonary & Critical Care Bethesda, MarylandUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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EmphysemaIntroduction to emphysemaThe lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. The lung is composed of clusters of small air sacs (alveoli) divided by thin, elastic walls or membranes. Capillaries, the tiniest of blood vessels, run within these walls between the alveoli and allow blood and air to come near each other. The distance between the air in the lungs and the blood in the capillaries is very small, and allows molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide to transfer across the membranes. Air reaches the alveoli via the bronchial tree. The trachea splits into the right and left mainstem bronchi, which branch further into bronchioles and finally ends in the alveolar air sacs. When we breathe in, air enters the lung and the alveoli expand. Oxygen is transferred onto hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells to be transported to the rest of the body for use. As oxygen attaches to the red blood cell, carbon dioxide, the waste product of metabolism, detaches and crosses into the alveoli to be exhaled. When we breathe out, the alveoli get squeezed by the elasticity in their walls and air is pushed out of the lungs.
What is emphysema?Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung(s) and occurs when the alveolar walls are destroyed along with the capillary blood vessels that run within them. This lessens the total area within the lung where blood and air can come together, limiting the potential for oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer. In early emphysema, there is associated inflammation of the small airways or bronchioles that limits the amount of air that can flow to the alveoli. In more severe emphysema, there is also loss of elasticity in the alveolar walls that have not been destroyed. When the patient breathes out, th... Recommended Reading Related to EmphysemaWhat Is Heart Failure?Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal. With heart failure, blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs. The chambers of the heart respond by stretching to hold more blood to pump through the body or by becoming more stiff and thickened. This helps to keep the blood moving for a short while, but in time, the heart muscle walls weaken and are unable to pump as strongly. As a result, the kidneys often respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and sodium. If fluid builds up in the arms, legs, ankles, feet, lungs or other organs, the body becomes congested, and congestive heart failure is the term used to describe the condition. What Causes Heart Failure?Heart failure is caused b... Other Related Emphysema ArticlesEmergency Contact for Bethesda
Nearby Bethesda Hospitals *National Institutes of Health Suburban Hospital Psychiatric Institute of Washington Sibley Memorial Hospital Holy Cross Hospital Walter Reed Army Medical Center Georgetown University Hospital Washington Adventist Hospital National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington Hospital Center Washington DC VA Medical Center Children's National Medical Center Howard University Hospital The George Washington University Hospital Providence Hospital The HSC Pediatric Center Virginia Hospital Center The Specialty Hospital of Washington Dominion Hospital Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital Prince George's Hospital Center Saint Elizabeth's Hospital Inova Alexandria Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute Montgomery General Hospital United Medical Center The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley Doctors Community Hospital Laurel Regional Hospital Reston Hospital Center Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Fort Washington Hospital Howard County General Hospital Southern Maryland Hospital Center Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Sheppard Pratt at Ellicott City Prince William Hospital Potomac Hospital North Spring Behavioral Healthcare Baltimore Washington Medical Center Graydon Manor Behavioral Health Spring Grove Hospital Center Springfield Hospital Center Anne Arundel Medical Center Saint Agnes Hospital Kernan Hospital Northwest Hospital Harbor Hospital Center Bon Secours Baltimore Health System Civista Medical Center University of Maryland Medical Center Baltimore VA Medical Center University Specialty Hospital Maryland General Hospital Mercy Medical Center Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center & Hospital Kennedy Krieger Institute Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Frederick Memorial Hospital Johns Hopkins Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Emphysema by Our Doctors
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Congestive Heart Failure
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
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Pneumonia
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Angina
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Acute Bronchitis
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Chronic Cough
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Pulmonary Hypertension
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
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Bronchiectasis
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Smoker's Lung: Pathology Photo Essay
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Heart Failure
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Chagas Disease
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Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
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Nicotine
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Asthma Complexities
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Lung Anatomy
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Secondhand Smoke
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Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Colds
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