Emphysema Center - West Haven, CT
West Haven 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 West Haven * Madhu S Gowda MD  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Yale Pulmonary & Critical Care  Lung Associates of Connecticut  Pulmonary Care PC  Jacob S Loke MD  Chapel Pulmonary & Critical Care  Pulmonary Care PC  Pulmonary Associates of New Haven  Pulmonary Associates of New Haven  Pulmonary Associates of New Haven  Yale Occupational & Environmental Medicine  Pulmonary Associates of New Haven  Pulmonary Associates of New Haven  Internal Medicine Of Milford PC  Medical Group of Milford  CT Medical Group  Nitai I Riegler & Steven L Saunders MDs  Pulmonary Specialties  Pulmonary Specialties  Carlos S Schweitzer MD  Allergy & Pulmonary Specialists PC  Robert A Sheiman MD  Anton N Chinniah MD  Robert B Brown MD  William B Fitzgerald MD  Pulmonary & Internal Medicine of Fairfield County PC  Pulmonary & Internal Medicine Associates PC  Pulmonary & Internal Medicine Associates PC  Pulmonary & Internal Medicine Associates PC  Pulmonary & Internal Medicine Associates PC  Jegathesan & Jegathesan MDs  Associates in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine  Associates in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine  Associates in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine  Associates in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine  Philip Simkovitz MD  Franklin Medical Group PC  Franklin Medical Group PC  Waterbury Pulmonary  Waterbury Pulmonary  Waterbury Pulmonary  Waterbury Pulmonary  Waterbury Pulmonary  Pulmonary Associates  Giosa & Brown Pulmonary Associates  Giosa & Brown Pulmonary Associates  Richard A Smith MD  Pulmonary Associates Of Bristol  Pulmonary Associates Of Bristol  Pulmonary Associates Of Bristol  Pulmonary Associates Of Bristol  Pacifico Flores Jr. MD  Grove Hill Medical Center Pulmonology  Grove Hill Medical Center Pulmonology  Pulmonary & Infectious Diseases  Pulmonary & Infectious Diseases  Pulmonary & Infectious Diseases  New Britain General Hospital Pulmonary Medicine  Harbor Medical Associates LLC  Joseph A Harrison MD  Hospital for Special Care Pulmonary Medicine  Hospital for Special Care Pulmonary Medicine  Hospital for Special Care Pulmonary Medicine  Respiratory & Internal Medicine Assoc  Norwalk Medical Group PC  Norwalk Medical Group PC  Norwalk Hospital Dept of Pulmonary Medicine  Norwalk Hospital Dept of Pulmonary Medicine  Norwalk Pulmonary Consultants  Norwalk Pulmonary Consultants  Norwalk Hospital Dept of Pulmonary Medicine  Independence Medical Group  Associated Pulmonologists Western Connecticut  Associated Pulmonologists Western Connecticut  Associated Pulmonologists Western Connecticut  Connecticut Multispecialty Group Pulmonary Disease& Internal Medicine  Connecticut Multispecialty Group Pulmonary Disease& Internal Medicine  Connecticut Multispecialty Group Pulmonary Disease& Internal Medicine West Haven, ConnecticutUpcoming Local Events2012-06-17
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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 West Haven
Nearby West Haven Hospitals *VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital Connecticut Mental Health Center Yale-New Haven Hospital Hospital of St Raphael Milford Hospital Griffin Hospital Bridgeport Hospital Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center St Vincent's Medical Center Masonic Healthcare Center Gaylord Hospital St Mary's Hospital The Hospital of Central Connecticut Bradley Campus Waterbury Hospital MidState Medical Center Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services St Charles Hospital John T Mather Memorial Hospital Middlesex Hospital Connecticut Valley Hospital Riverview Hospital for Children & Youth Rushford Center Stony Brook University Medical Center Norwalk Hospital Danbury Hospital Peconic Bay Medical Center Bristol Hospital Silver Hill Hospital The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain Campus Hospital for Special Care Veterans Home & Hospital Rocky Hill St Catherine of Siena Medical Center New Milford Hospital Northport VA Medical Center VA Connecticut Healthcare System Newington Campus Cedarcrest Hospital Eastern Long Island Hospital University of Connecticut Health Center John Dempsey Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center Stamford Hospital Four Winds 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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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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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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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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