Last Stages of Emphysema | Final and End Stages of Emphysema

Question: What are the last stages of emphysema, prognosis emphysema? Are there any chances of recovery in final stage of emphysema?

Answer: Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The disease process is characterized by the progressive development of chronic airflow obstruction.

In emphysema there is permanent and abnormal distension of the air spaces at the end of the bronchioles with destruction of the wall of the bronchioles. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema frequently coexist because the cause which causes them is same.

Risk factors for emphysema: cigarette smoking, air pollution, recurrent respiratory tract infection in the childhood and familial and genetic factors.

Last Stages of Emphysema

In the last stage of emphysema a person is unable to breath on his own and requires the help of artificial oxygenation, he is unable to perform daily life tasks. It becomes difficult to walk few steps. Breathing also becomes difficult while resting.

Person feels tightness in his chest in last stage of emphysema.

Coughing becomes painful and constant; there is loss of appetite, and weight loss is marked.

Fatigue and weakness is observed in patients suffering during the last stages of emphysema.

Due to low oxygen level lips and the nails turn bluish or they are cyanosed.

The final stage of emphysema can be diagnosed by the clinical history, from performing the lung function test and the X-ray of the chest. There is low oxygen saturation noted in pulse oxymetry test (a devise attached to the finger to measure oxygen saturation level).

End Stages of Emphysema: Prognosis

Prognosis of end stage of emphysema: it is usually a progressive disease, where there occurs acute exacerbations and remissions, eventually it causes respiratory and heart failure. Since it is not a reversible disease, the prognosis of the disease is from poor to worse.

Treatment in the Last Stage of Emphysema

• To remove the mucus from the lungs.
• Use of corticosteroids in a hospital.
• Oxygen supplementation.
• Antibiotic therapy.
• Diuretic therapy.
• Respiratory stimulants
• Artificial mechanical respiration.

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