Emphysema Center - Watsonville, CA
Watsonville 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 Watsonville * Brennan Medical Group  Michael J Suval DO  George Green MD  Allergy & Asthma Associates of Northern California  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel Ave  Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group  Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group  Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group  Rinderknecht Klein & Taub MD  Rinderknecht Klein & Taub MD  Rinderknecht Klein & Taub MD  Cardio Pulmonary Associates  Cardio Pulmonary Associates  Cardio Pulmonary Associates  Desmond C Gunatilaka MD  Steven Packer MD  South Bay Pulmonary Medical Group  Jagat B Satia MD  Robert C Ang MD  San Jose Medical Group  San Jose Medical Group  Carl M Kirsch MD  South Bay Respiratory Associates  South Bay Respiratory Associates  San Jose Pulmonary Associates  Ali Bassiri MD  Forest Avenue Medical Group  Koorosh C Shariat MD  Huan & Hla MD  Nicole Thai MD  Foothill Medical Clinic  Bruce W Beck MD  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  Camino Medical Group Pulmonary  David P Sachs MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Glenn D Rosen MD  Stanford Hospital Pulmonary  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Andrew B Newman MD  Samir N Vora MD  Mowry Medical Group Inc  Stanford Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic  Sigal A Tene MD  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Redwood Pulmonary Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  Tri Valley Medical Associates  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  Palo Alto Medical Foundation Dublin Center  Laurence Athos MD  Steven Machtinger MD  Jagjeet S Kalra MD  Ratnasothy Rajah MD  T Craig Williams MD  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  Pulmonary Associates  William S Lowery MD  Jerrold A Kram MD  Springhill Medical Group  Springhill Medical Group  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Bay Area Pulmonary Medical  Revels Cayton MD  Respiratory Medical Group  Respiratory Medical Group  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Respiratory Medical Group  Muir Pulmonary & Critical Care  Respiratory Medical Group  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  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  Dale E Kocienski MD  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  Peninsula Pulmonary Medical  Peter Brion MD  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  UCSF Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine  San Francisco General Hospital  Doctors Medical Center Hospitalist  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 Watsonville, CaliforniaUpcoming 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 Watsonville
Nearby Watsonville Hospitals *Watsonville Community Hospital Saint Louise Regional Hospital Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center Dominican Hospital Natividad Medical Center Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos Santa Clara Valley Medical Center O'Connor Hospital Regional Medical Center of San Jose Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara 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. |
Suggested Reading on Emphysema by Our Doctors
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
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Bronchiectasis
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Secondhand Smoke
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