Emphysema Center - Marietta, GA
Marietta 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 Marietta * Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Cobb Pulmonary Associates PC  Emory Clinic  Atlantla Pulmonary Associates  Emory Clinic  Atlantla Pulmonary Associates  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Georgia Lung Associates PC  Marietta Pulmonary Medicine  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta Pulmonary Group  Atlanta ENT, Sinus & Allergy Associates  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Pulmonary & Critical Care of Atlanta  Piedmont Pulmonary  Piedmont Pulmonary  Piedmont Pulmonary  Piedmont Pulmonary  Atlanta Lung Specialists PC  The Kimani Clinic PC  Emory Clinic  Emory Clinic  Northpoint Pulmonary Associates PC  Northpoint Pulmonary Associates PC  Northpoint Pulmonary Associates PC  Emory Clinic  Faculty Physician Group Practice  The Emory Clinic Cystic Fibrosis Center  The Emory Clinic Pulmonary Medicine  The Emory Clinic Lung Transplant Center  The Emory Clinic Lung Transplant Center  The Emory Clinic Lung Transplant Center  The Emory Clinic Lung Transplant Center  The Emory Clinic Pulmonary Medicine  The Emory Clinic Lung Transplant Center  The Emory Clinic Pulmonary Medicine  The Emory Clinic Pulmonary Medicine  Atlanta VA Medical Center Pulmonology  The Lung Centers of Georgia  Francisco J Negri MD  The Lung Centers of Georgia  The Lung Centers of Georgia  South Atlanta Pulmonary  South Atlanta Pulmonary  Lung Care Specialist of GA  Medical Associates Of North Georgia  Southeastern Lung Care  Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists PC  Southeastern Lung Care  Southeastern Lung Care  Southeastern Lung Care  Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists PC  Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists PC  Southeastern Lung Care  Southeastern Lung Care  Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists PC  Southeastern Lung Care  Southeastern Lung Care  Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists PC  Advanced Health & Rehab Center  Respitory Consultants of Georgia LLC  Respitory Consultants of Georgia LLC  Respitory Consultants of Georgia LLC  Respitory Consultants of Georgia LLC  Gwinnett Pulmonary Group  Gwinnett Pulmonary Group  Gwinnett Pulmonary Group  Gwinnett Pulmonary Group  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Southern Pulmonary Care PC Marietta, GeorgiaUpcoming 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 Marietta
Nearby Marietta Hospitals *Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Devereux Georgia Treatment Network Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital Emory Adventist Hospital Ridgeview Institute Wellstar Cobb Hospital Children's Healthcare at Scottish Rite Northside Hospital Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta Piedmont Hospital Shepherd Center Peachford Behavioral Health System of Atlanta North Fulton Regional Hospital Hillside Hospital Kindred Hospital Atlanta Emory University Hospital Midtown Select Specialty Hospital Atlanta Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital Atlanta Medical Center Laurel Heights Hospital Grady Health System Children's Healthcare at Egleston Atlanta VA Medical Center Emory University Hospital Wellstar Paulding Hospital Wellstar Douglas Hospital DeKalb Medical Center DeKalb Medical Regency Hospital of South Atlanta South Fulton Medical Center Northside Hospital Cherokee Inner Harbour Hospitals Gwinnett Medical Center Duluth Cartersville Medical Center Emory Johns Creek Hospital Glancy Rehabilitation Center Georgia Regional Hospital at Atlanta Anchor Hospital Tanner Medical Center Villa Rica Southern Regional Medical Center Northside Hospital Forsyth DeKalb Medical Center at Hillandale Gwinnett Medical Center Emory Eastside Medical Center SummitRidge Center for Psychiatry & Addiction Medicine Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Piedmont Fayette 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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Related Diseases & Conditions
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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
- Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
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Chronic Cough
- Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
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Polycythemia (High Red Blood Cell Count)
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, wheezing, morning headaches, and pulmonary hypertension. Treatment of COPD is focused on the related condition(s).
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Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
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Marfan Syndrome
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Pulmonary Hypertension
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Chronic Bronchitis
- Chronic bronchitis is a cough that occurs daily with production of sputum that lasts for at least three months, two years in a row. Causes of chronic bronchitis include cigarette smoking, inhaled irritants, and underlying disease processes (such as asthma, or congestive heart failure). Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Treatments include bronchodilators and steroids. Complications of chronic bronchitis include COPD and emphysema.
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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
- Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want 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
- The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
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Secondhand Smoke
- Secondhand smoke can cause illness and disease in nonsmokers. Some of these conditions include lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma, SIDS, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from secondhand smoke exposure in the home environment and workplace.
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Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Colds
- If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia. Avoiding cigarette smoking, practice good hygeine, stay away from crowds, and alerting your healthcare provider if you have a sinus infection or cold or cough that becomes worse. Treatment options depend upon the severity of the emphysema, bronchitis, or cold combination.
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Congestive Heart Failure
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Medications
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