Emphysema

Understanding Emphysema

Over three million people in the United States alone suffer from emphysema, a condition which can drastically affect your health and lifestyle.

The air sacs in the lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe and transport it into the blood stream. The oxygen moves around your body, where your cells use it for energy to perform necessary functions like moving your muscles, thinking or keeping your heart pumping. Without enough oxygen, your organs can suffer. You may experience less endurance, have trouble thinking clearly or remembering things well.

Besides the lack of oxygen, the symptoms of emphysema can disrupt other aspects of your health. Because you have difficulty breathing, you may have insomnia, which means you cannot fall or stay asleep.

The shortness of breath associated with emphysema may prevent you from exercising, raising your risk for obesity and heart disease. In its most severe forms, emphysema can cause your lungs to collapse, a life-threatening condition.

What Are Treatment Options for Emphysema?

IU Health physicians develop individualized treatment plans for your needs to minimize the impact of emphysema on your daily life. They focus on getting you back to better health by providing high quality care every step of the way. IU Health has the only healthcare system in Indiana that performs lung transplants.

Your physicians conduct emphysema and COPD research that gives you access to the latest treatments and knowledge of emphysema. Your IU Health Pulmonology & Respiratory Care physicians offer comprehensive treatment for emphysema, including:

• Education. Specialists can teach you how to change your lifestyle to better manage your emphysema.
• Smoking cessation support. Your physicians will provide you with the support you need to quit smoking to reduce the severity of your emphysema.
• Prescription medications. Prescription inhalers can keep your airways open, making it easier to breathe.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation. During pulmonary rehabilitation, you’ll learn breathing and physical exercises that can improve your symptoms.
• Oxygen therapy. Emphysema can keep your body from getting the oxygen it needs. Oxygen therapy delivers concentrated levels of oxygen to try to improve your body’s functions.
• Bullectomy. Your physicians may use bullectomy to surgically remove air pockets in your lungs. Without the air pockets, you can breathe better.
• Lung volume reduction surgery. Your physicians may remove the damaged areas of your lungs so the healthy airways can work better.
• Lung transplant. IU Health is the only healthcare system in the state of Indiana that performs lung transplants. Physicians use this procedure only in extreme cases of emphysema.