Emphysema Center - Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale * Robert C Ang MD  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Allergy & Asthma Associates of Northern California  Bruce W Beck MD  Foothill Medical Clinic  Ali Bassiri MD  Forest Avenue Medical Group  David P Sachs MD  Carl M Kirsch MD  San Jose Medical Group  San Jose Medical Group  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Glenn D Rosen MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Jagat B Satia MD  Andrew B Newman MD  South Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  South Bay Respiratory Associates  South Bay Respiratory Associates  San Jose Pulmonary Associates  Huan & Hla MD  Nicole Thai MD  Koorosh C Shariat MD  Samir N Vora MD  Stanford Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic  Mowry Medical Group Inc  Sigal A Tene MD  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Desmond C Gunatilaka MD  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Sammy T Hung MD  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Kaiser Medical Center Hayward Pulmonary & Infectious Disease  Laurence Athos MD  Steven Machtinger MD  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Ratnasothy Rajah MD  T Craig Williams MD  Palo Alto Medical Foundation Dublin Center  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel Ave  Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group  Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  William S Lowery MD  Jerrold A Kram MD  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Revels Cayton MD  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Richard Nusser MD Inc  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Michael J Suval DO  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  Dale E Kocienski MD  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  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  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  San Francisco General Hospital  Peter Brion MD  Brennan Medical Group  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Crawford Chung MD  Fred B Hom MD  Kenneth D Chan MD  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  San Francisco Critical Care Medical Group Inc  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  Frank M Delen MD  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic  Ronald B Elkin MD  David J Erle MD  UCSF Chest & Allergy Clinic Sunnyvale, 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 Sunnyvale
Nearby Sunnyvale Hospitals *El Camino Hospital Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center VA Palo Alto Health Care System O'Connor Hospital Santa Clara Valley Medical Center El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford Hospital & Clinics Menlo Park Surgical Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks Regional Medical Center of San Jose Fremont Hospital Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center Washington Hospital Sequoia Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center San Mateo Medical Center St Rose Hospital Mills Hospital Eden Medical Center Mills-Peninsula Health Services Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus John George Psychiatric Pavilion ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton San Leandro Hospital Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area Valley Memorial Hospital Dominican Hospital Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Seton Medical Center Coastside San Ramon Regional Medical Center Alameda Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Seton Medical Center Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus San Francisco General Hospital St Luke's Hospital Watsonville Community Hospital Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Saint Louise Regional Hospital Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus 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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Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
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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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