Emphysema Center - Tracy, CA
Tracy 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 Tracy * Jagjeet S Kalra MD  Sierra Valley Lung & Sleep  Mehernosh E Dah MD  Pulmonary Disease Specialists  Pulmonary Disease Specialists  Pacific Sleep Disorders Center  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Springhill Medical Group  Springhill Medical Group  Doctors Medical Center Hospitalist  Ravinder Gupta MD  Sawtantra Chopra MD  Sutter Gould Medical Foundation Pulmonary  Sutter Gould Medical Foundation Pulmonary  Palo Alto Medical Foundation Dublin Center  Koorosh C Shariat MD  Huan & Hla MD  Nicole Thai MD  Mowry Medical Group Inc  San Jose Pulmonary Associates  Samir N Vora MD  Allergy & Asthma Associates of Northern California  South Bay Respiratory Associates  South Bay Respiratory Associates  Desmond C Gunatilaka MD  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  San Jose Medical Group  San Jose Medical Group  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Jorge A Salazar-Suero MD  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Diablo Pulmonary Medical Group  Ali Bassiri MD  Forest Avenue Medical Group  Carl M Kirsch MD  Laurence Athos 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  MedClinic Medical Group Timberlake  Robert C Ang MD  Jagat B Satia MD  Ratnasothy Rajah MD  T Craig Williams MD  South Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  George Green MD  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Bruce W Beck MD  Foothill Medical Clinic  David P Sachs MD  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Glenn D Rosen MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Andrew B Newman MD  Stanford Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic  UC Davis Division of Pulmonary Internal Medicine  Capital Allergy and Respiratory  CHW Medical Foundation  Mercy Medical Group Allergy Dermatology & Pulmonology  Jeffry H Jones MD  Chest Infectious Disease  William S Lowery MD  Donald C Rifas MD  Chest Infectious Disease  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Pulmonary Medicine  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Pulmonary Medicine  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Pulmonary Medicine  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Pulmonary Medicine  UC Davis Medical Group Pulmonary  UC Davis Medical Group Pulmonary  UC Davis Medical Group Pulmonary  UC Davis Medical Group Pulmonary  UC Davis Medical Group Pulmonary  Revels Cayton MD  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group  Berkeley Pulmonary & Critical Care Medical Group Tracy, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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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 Tracy
Nearby Tracy Hospitals *Sutter Tracy Community Hospital Kaiser Permanente Hospital Manteca San Joaquin General Hospital Doctors Hospital of Manteca Dameron Hospital St Joseph's Medical Center St Joseph's Behavioral Health Center Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System Valley Memorial Hospital Doctors Medical Center of Modesto Kindred Hospital Modesto Memorial Medical Center ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton Stanislaus Surgical Hospital Sutter Delta Medical Center Lodi Memorial Hospital West Lodi Memorial Hospital San Ramon Regional Medical Center Oak Valley Hospital Washington Hospital Fremont Hospital Regional Medical Center of San Jose 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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Pneumonia
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Chronic Cough
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Pulmonary Hypertension
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
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Bronchiectasis
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Heart Failure
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Chagas Disease
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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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