什么是肺气肿?

Emphysema is a progressive chronic lung condition in which the tiny air sacs (alveoli) are damaged or destroyed. 当这种情况发生时, it causes the tiny air sacs to rupture and create one big air pocket instead of many tiny ones. Air becomes trapped in the damaged areas and doesn't move the oxygen correctly through the body.

肺部过度膨胀 is a result of a breakdown of the alveoli walls. 它会导致呼吸功能下降和呼吸困难. 气囊的损伤是无法治愈的. 它会导致肺部下层组织的永久性损伤.

Emphysema is one form of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD的另一种形式是慢性支气管炎. When people who smoke have chronic breathing problems like being short of breath, they usually have some combination of both emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

什么导致了肺气肿?

随着时间的推移，肺气肿的发生非常缓慢. 它可能由以下原因引起:

• 吸烟(主要原因)

• 暴露在空气污染中, 比如化学烟雾, dust, vapors, fumes, gases, 和其他化学物质

• 暴露于室内污染. 这包括刺激性烟雾, 燃烧的木头, 家庭烹饪产生的烟, 加热燃料, 化学烟雾, 环境灰尘, 二手烟.

• A rare, inherited form of the disease called alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency-related pulmonary emphysema or early onset pulmonary emphysema. 你可能会接受AATD筛查.

肺气肿的症状是什么?

每个人的症状可能略有不同. 这些是最常见的:

肺气肿的早期症状可能包括:

• Cough

• 快速的呼吸

• 呼吸短促，活动越多越严重

• 粘液生产

• Wheezing

其他症状可能包括:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• 极度疲劳(疲劳)

• 心脏问题

• 肺部过度膨胀

• 睡眠问题

• 减肥

The symptoms of emphysema may look like other lung conditions or health problems. 请向医疗保健提供者咨询诊断.

如何诊断肺气肿?

还有完整的健康史和体格检查, 你的医疗保健提供者可能会做肺功能测试. These tests help measure the lungs’ ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. The tests are often done with special machines into which you breathe. 它们可能包括:

肺量测定法

肺活量计是一种用来检查肺功能的仪器. 肺活量测定法是最简单、最常见的检测方法之一. 它可以用来:

• 确定肺部疾病的严重程度

• Find out if the lung disease is restrictive (less air will get into your lungs) or obstructive (less air will get out of your lungs)

• 寻找肺部疾病

• 监测治疗效果

峰值流量监测

这个装置可以测量你从肺部呼出空气的速度. Cough, inflammation, and mucus buildup can cause the large airways in the lungs to slowly narrow. 这减慢了空气离开肺部的速度. This measurement is very important in seeing how well or how poorly the disease is being controlled.

血液测试

These are done to check the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. A blood test may be done to check eosinophil counts and vitamin D levels, 监测你的红细胞压积和血红蛋白水平，以防贫血.

胸部x光片

这个测试拍摄内部组织、骨骼和器官的照片. A chest X-ray is not recommended to diagnose COPD, but it can help identify other conditions.

CT scan

This test uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to make images of the body. CT扫描可以显示细节, such as the width of airways in the lungs and the thickness of airway walls.

粘液(痰)培养

This test is done on the material that is coughed up from the lungs and into the mouth. A sputum culture is often used to see if an infection is present. 也可以检查嗜酸性粒细胞水平. 一般需要2天才能得到结果.

如何治疗肺气肿?

The goal of treatment for people with emphysema is to live more comfortably with the disease, 控制症状, 防止病情恶化, 副作用很小. 没有办法修复或再生受损的肺组织.

治疗包括:

• 肺康复计划. Community-based and home-based programs work as well as hospital-based programs as long as they are as often and of the same intensity. Standard home-based pulmonary rehab programs help with trouble breathing in people with COPD. Supervised, traditional pulmonary rehab remains the standard of care and best option for people with COPD. These programs help manage your disease, breathing methods, exercise, support, and counseling. 要找到一个，请询问您的提供者或致电当地医院. Also talk with your healthcare provider about which rehab or self-management program is best for you.

• 抗生素治疗细菌感染

• Staying away from the smoke of others and removing other air pollutants from your home and workplace

• Medicines (bronchodilators) that widen the airways of the lungs and can be either taken by mouth (oral) or inhaled

• 注射流感和肺炎疫苗

• Nutritional support since you may develop malnutrition and lose weight. 保持理想体重很重要. 超重或体重过轻都会影响你的健康.

• Other types of oral and inhaled medicines that are used to treat symptoms, 比如咳嗽和喘息

• 便携式氧气治疗容器. Talk with your healthcare provider about long-term oxygen therapy.

• 戒烟. 吸烟是导致慢性阻塞性肺病的主要原因. 戒烟可以帮助你更好地控制肺气肿. 也不要使用电子烟或电子烟产品. 向你的医疗保健提供者咨询帮助你戒烟的方法.

• 切除肺部受损部位的手术

• 支气管内瓣膜系统用于治疗呼吸问题. 这个装置是为患有严重肺气肿的人准备的. It's the first minimally invasive device to treat emphysema available in the U.S.

• 肺移植治疗严重肺气肿

During each appointment, your provider will assess your ability to:

• Cope in your usual environment (focusing on supportive, palliative, end-of-life care)

• 正确使用给药系统的吸入器

• 应对你的其他情况和你使用的药物

肺气肿要点

• 肺气肿是一种慢性肺部疾病. It’s part of COPD, a group of lung diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing problems.

• 随着时间的推移，它的发展非常缓慢. 它通常是由吸烟引起的.

• It causes shortness of breath that often gets worse with activity and many other symptoms, 比如喘息, cough, anxiety, 还有心脏问题.

• 没有办法修复或再生受损的肺组织. The goal of treatment for people with emphysema is to live more comfortably, 控制症状, 防止病情恶化.

• A key part of treatment is to quit smoking, including e-cigarettes.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• 知道你访问的原因和你想要发生什么.

• 在拜访之前，写下你想要回答的问题.

• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your healthcare provider tells you.

• At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new directions your healthcare provider gives you.

• Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed and how it will help you. 还要知道副作用是什么.

• 询问你的病情是否可以用其他方法治疗.

• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.

• Know what to expect if you don't take the medicine or have the test or procedure.

• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.

• Know how you can contact your healthcare provider if you have questions, 尤其是下班后、周末和节假日.