Acute Respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS is a progressive, life threatening disease that occurs when the lungs face damage to an extent that it cannot function normally leading to abrupt problems in breathing and quick lung failure. Those that are diagnosed with ARDS have patchy specks on their chest X-Rays. ARDS also known as non-cardiac pulmonary edema, acute lung injury and increased permeability pulmonary edema is also known to affect children as young as one year and onwards. ARDS Causes: ARDS could arise due a serious damage or intense inflammation that causes significant extent of damage to the blood vessels present in either one or both of the lungs resulting in the lungs being incapacitated. Due to this, the lungs are incapable of being filled with air and cannot move adequate  [...]

Smoking besides being the single most leading cause of Emphysema, the other main cited cause is due to deficiency of the alpha-1 antitrypsin protein. Though, this is a small reason that leads to emphysema in comparison to smoking. The Alpha-1 antitrypsin or AAT is an innate protein that circulates within the blood stream. Its key task is to stop the WBC or white blood cells from causing damage to the normal tissues present. The constituents of the white blood cells are destructive in nature employed to combat infections that might crop up in the body. In a certain populace conceivably one lakh individuals in the United States are believed to have a hereditary condition which causes their bodies to have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Deficit levels of AAT in the blood stream allow the  [...]

Emphysema is a type of long-standing lung disease that leads to breathing distress due to a restriction in blowing air out. Emphysema is the main form of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused due to several reasons, with smoking being the most prevalent cause. There is no evident cure for emphysema hence, smoke cessation helps decrease the rate at which the emphysema spreads. Emphysema occurs due to the irreparable damage to the fine linings of the air sac present in the lungs. Generally, the toxic components present in cigarette smoke leads to eventual damage over the years leading to emphysema. The deterioration is a gradual process wherein initially the delicate tissues present in between the air sacs get obliterated with air pockets forming in the lungs. This leads to  [...]

A latest research has unravelled the staggering fact that there is a major association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD and rapid depletion in cognitive functioning noted in the elderly age bracket. Earlier research work undertaken have previously related COPD with declined cognitive functioning or impeded mental skills, however scientists note that this is the foremost study undertaken that demonstrates the detrimental effect of COPD on mental functioning over a period of time. These discoveries are anticipated to increase alertness regarding the fact that those adults ailing with severe COPD are at heightened risk of suffering from cognitive impediment that would probably lead to deteriorating general health state and way of life making COPD management a tricky task. COPD  [...]