lung disease

• Tuberculosis is a lung disease caused by bacteria
• Immune system cells build a wall around the bacteria in the lungs, forming small clumps called tubercles
• Infected tissues in the tubercles die and the gas exchange surface is damaged, reducing tidal volume
• Patients with TB may need to increase their ventilation rate to take in enough oxygen
• Symptoms of TB can include:

  • Cough
  • Coughing blood/mucus
  • Chest pains
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
• Fibrosis is the formation of scar tissue in the lungs
• Scar tissue is less elastic and thick, reducing the lungs' ability to expand and tidal volume
• Diffusion is slower across the thicker membranes, reducing the rate of gas exchange
• A faster ventilation rate is required to get enough oxygen into the blood stream
• Symptoms of fibrosis can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry cough
  • Chest pain
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
• Asthma is a respiratory condition where the airway becomes inflamed and irritated
• Asthma attacks involve the smooth muscle lining in the bronchioles producing large amounts of mucus, constricting the airway and reducing airflow
• Symptoms of asthma can include:

  • Tight chest
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
• An asthma attack can be relieved by taking drugs that relax the bronchioles
• Emphysema is a lung disease caused by smoking or exposure to air pollution
• Foreign particles become trapped in the alveoli, causing inflammation and attracting phagocytes that produce an enzyme breaking down elastin in the alveoli
• Loss of elastin prevents the alveoli from recoiling and expelling air, leading to reduced surface area for gas exchange
• Symptoms of emphysema can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing