Emphysema is not hereditary. It usually results from smoking or exposure to other harmful lung irritants. However, a rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) passed down in ...

The lungs consist of tiny air sacs called alveoli. Emphysema damages the alveoli and destroys lung tissue. Bullous emphysema (BE) refers to damaged alveoli that distend to form large air spaces, ...

Chronic emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by damage to the air sacs in the lungs. Although there is no cure, you can manage the disease with lifestyle changes ...

With emphysema, you can have symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. Your symptoms can ...