In emphysema, the alveoli are destroyed. This causes shortness of breath.
In normal breathing, air travels through the nose and windpipe into narrowing airways called the bronchi. The bronchi divide into bronchioles and finally into small clusters of thin, delicate sacs, the alveoli; medical name: alveoli. In the alveoli, the carbon dioxide in the blood is replaced by oxygen.
Inhaling toxic fumes, for example components of cigarette smoke, can develop emphysema, an irreversible condition that jeopardizes lung function.
Emphysema destroys the alveoli. As the lungs become less elastic, the alveoli rupture, creating larger air chambers. As a result, the surface area required for the absorption of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide decreases. This causes shortness of breath, which gradually worsens and eventually damages the lungs and heart.
