Emphysema Center - Wilson, NC
Wilson 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 Wilson * Wilson Pulmonary & Internal Medicine PA  Nash Internal Medicine  Eastern North Carolina Medical Group PLLC  Eastern Medical Associates  Eastern Medical Associates  Wayne Heart & Internal Medical Associates PA  Eastern Carolina Physicians PA  ECU Pediatrics Division  Physicians East  Physicians East  Physicians East  Physicians East  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  ECU Dept Pulmonary Medicine  Perry-Medders Medical Group  Kinston Pulmonary  Timothy B Hart MD PA  WakeMed Faculty Physicians Hospitalist Service  Raleigh Pulmonary & Allergy Consultants PLLC  Raleigh Pulmonary & Allergy Consultants PLLC  Raleigh Pulmonary & Allergy Consultants PLLC  Raleigh Pulmonary & Allergy Consultants PLLC  Halifax Medical Specialists  West Raleigh Internal Medicine PA  Piedmont Internal Medicine Pulmonary & Infectious Diseases PA  Wake Internal Medicine Consultants Inc  Wake Internal Medicine Consultants Inc  Carolina Pulmonary Medicine  Lafayette Clinic PA  Neil R MacIntyre MD  Claude A Piantadosi MD  Michael L Russell MD  Duke Asthma Allergy & Airway System Pulmonary Dept  R Carl Britt MD  Eastern Carolina Internal Medicine  Duke University Medical Center  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Hospital Division of Pulmonary Medicine  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  UNC Chapel Hill Pediatric Pulmonology  Fayetteville Pulmonary Critical Care  Cape Fear Pulmonary Associates  Cape Fear Pulmonary Associates  UNC Sanford Specialty Clinic Wilson, North CarolinaUpcoming 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 Wilson
Nearby Wilson Hospitals *Wilson Medical Center Coastal Plain Hospital Nash General Hospital LifeCare Hospitals of North Carolina Wayne Memorial Hospital Cherry Hospital Heritage Hospital Johnston Memorial Hospital Pitt County Memorial Hospital Franklin Regional 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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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
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Bronchiectasis
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Secondhand Smoke
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