lung diseases

• tuberculosis

  • caused by bacteria inhaled by droplet infection
• effects of tuberculosis:

  • damaged alveoli, so smaller surface area
  • thicker scar tissue, diffusion distance is increased
  • elasticity is reduced, so lungs cannot expand as normal
• symptoms of tuberculosis:

  • persistent cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fatigue
• pulmonary fibrosis:

  • formation of scar tissue in the lungs after an infection or breathing in substances like asbestos
• effects of pulmonary fibrosis

  • reduced rate of gas exchange (thicker scar tissue, reduced elasticity)
• symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis

  • dry cough
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain
  • fatigue
  • weakness
• asthma

  • airways become inflamed due to allergic reaction to inhaled substances
  • smooth muscle lining in the bronchioles contracts and more mucus is produced
• effects of asthma:

  • reduced rate of gas exchange (airway constrict serverely reducing airflow in and out of lungs)
• symptoms of asthma:

  • wheezing
  • tight chest
  • shortness of breath
• emphysema:

  • disease caused by foreign particles being trapped in the alveoli
  • causes inflammation, phagocytes arrive and they produce an enzyme which breaks down the elastic in the walls of the alveoli
• effects of emphysema:

  • reduced rate of gas exchange (damaged alveoli so smaller surface area, loss of elastin means alveoli cant recoil)
• symptoms of emphysema:

  • shortness of breath
  • wheezing