Health Assessment: Emphysema

Running head: HEALTH ASSESSMENT: EMPHYSEMA
Health Assessment: Emphysema
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HEALTH ASSESSMENT: EMPHYSEMA 2
Health Assessment: Emphysema
Introduction
Emphysema is one of the leading causes of death in Australia and around the globe. It is
one of the smoke-induced conditions that are associated with infection and damaging of the
lung. According to Healthdirect Australia (2019), emphysema affects one in twenty people
above the age of thirty-five years. Even though this disease is more pronounced in people that
smoke tobacco, it also affects people exposed to irritants. According to Barnes (2016),
emphysema causes the inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs to the point where they break.
The Cancer Institute of Australia (NSW) reported that nearly seven thousand deaths annually are
attributed to emphysema and COPD (NSW, 2019). NSW further estimates that nearly 1.5
million Australians suffer from this condition. The most affected group is men and people above
the age of thirty-five years. According to Healthdirect (2019), smokers are six times likely to
contract emphysema compared to non-smokers. Additionally, people who have quit smoking are
five times likely to contract emphysema compared to non-smokers. People suffering from
emphysema cannot inhale or exhale air due to damaged air sacs. This paper discusses the
pathophysiology of emphysema, pharmacological treatments, and patient education
considerations for people affected by this condition.
Pathophysiology, Immunology, and Impact on Homeostatic Processes
Pathophysiology refers to the changes caused in the body by the presence of a disease.
For emphysema, the changes start with the damage to the airways and destruction to alveoli
(Craft, Gordon, Huether, McCance, Brashers, 2018). According to Boka (2016), emphysema is
mainly the disease of alveoli or the air sacs. Alveoli are tiny structures in the lungs that allow the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Gas exchange in lungs requires that the alveoli are

HEALTH ASSESSMENT: EMPHYSEMA 3
intact. Since inflated alveoli do not have the capacity to handle gaseous exchange, the infection
from emphysema interferes with the respiratory process by rendering the alveoli ineffective.
When emphysema attacks the alveoli, the fibers become damaged or less elastic to the extent that
they cannot recoil when a person inhales or exhales. The lungs are then filled with mucus as they
become flabby and less elastic to recoil after breathing out. In cases where the alveoli have
reached permanent damage, the alveoli collapses when one breathes out, making it impossible
for the person to breath in after managing to breath out. Since homeostatic processes rely on
oxygen for respiratory processes, an analysis of the impact of emphysema reveals how the
disease interferes with the normal functioning of the body.
When the alveoli are damaged, it becomes difficult for them to allow the exchange of
carbon dioxide and oxygen. As a result, oxygen cannot move into the tissue effectively. Initially,
a person can breathe but when it reaches a point where the alveoli have become stiff to take in
air, the patient may succumb to emphysema due to lack of oxygen supply to the body
(Goldklang & Stockley, 2016). Additionally, the inflation of alveoli causes accumulation of
mucus and dust in the alveoli because of damage to the airways caused by emphysema. In cases
where the person cannot get rid of carbon dioxide from the body, the higher concentration of the
gas in the body may cause death. Additionally, lack of sufficient distribution of oxygen to vital
organs such as the heart, kidney, and the liver makes it impossible for the body to function
normally. The effects of lack of oxygen and impairment may be evident through difficulties in
breathing, wheezing sound when breathing, fatigue, anxiety, and swelling in legs. Bhavani, Tsai,
Perusich, Hesselbacha, and Farah (2015) explain that the immunology of emphysema occurs
when the epithelial cells in the alveoli are activated by cigarette smoke or exposure to gas fumes
and irritants. For active smokers, it may take time before the person notices that he is suffering