Emphysema Center - Castro Valley, CA
Castro Valley 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 Castro Valley * Laurence Athos MD  Ratnasothy Rajah MD  T Craig Williams MD  Sammy T Hung MD  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Mowry Medical Group Inc  Samir N Vora MD  Allergy & Asthma Associates of Northern California  William S Lowery MD  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Palo Alto Medical Foundation Dublin Center  Jerrold A Kram MD  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Revels Cayton MD  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Richard Nusser MD Inc  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Stanford Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  David P Sachs MD  Steven Machtinger MD  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Andrew B Newman MD  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Sigal A Tene MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Glenn D Rosen MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Jorge A Salazar-Suero MD  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  Bruce W Beck MD  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  San Francisco General Hospital  Crawford Chung MD  Robert C Ang MD  Kenneth D Chan MD  Fred B Hom MD  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  Frank M Delen MD  Ronald B Elkin MD  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  Gerald B Levine MD  East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  David M Claman MD  Alliance Medical Group Inc  Daniel M Raybin MD  Foothill Medical Clinic  Anthony Cosentino MD  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  David J Erle MD  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  Talmadge E King MD  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic Castro Valley, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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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 Castro Valley
Nearby Castro Valley Hospitals *Eden Medical Center Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus John George Psychiatric Pavilion Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area San Leandro Hospital St Rose Hospital Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center San Ramon Regional Medical Center Alameda Hospital ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Washington Hospital Fremont Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus Mills Hospital Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center San Mateo Medical Center Menlo Park Surgical Hospital Valley Memorial Hospital Sequoia Hospital Mills-Peninsula Health Services San Francisco General Hospital Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System St Luke's Hospital Stanford Hospital & Clinics Chinese Hospital Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus John Muir Behavioral Health Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center VA Palo Alto Health Care System Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez St Mary's Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus California Pacific Medical Center California Campus Seton Medical Center Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo El Camino Hospital San Francisco VA Medical Center Sutter Delta Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center Seton Medical Center Coastside Regional Medical Center of San Jose O'Connor Hospital Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Marin General Hospital Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center Sutter Solano Medical Center Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center 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. |
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Chronic Cough
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Heart Failure
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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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