Common Types of Lung Disease:
Lung disease is one of the most prevalent diseases across the world, killing more than four million people annually, but many people don’t know much about lung disease, its cause, or available treatments. In today’s post, we’ll discuss the most common types of lung disease and how they are diagnosed and measured.
Common Lung Diseases
Some of the most common lung diseases include pulmonary edema, pneumonia, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, and asthma. Lung disease generally falls into one of three categories: (1) airway diseases; (2) lung tissue diseases; and (3) lung circulation diseases. Less common lung diseases include asbestosis and mesothelioma, both caused by exposure to asbestos.
- Airway Diseases:
- Airway diseases affect the airway tubes that carry oxygen and other gases in and out of the lungs. They include diseases that generally result in a narrowing or blocking of the airway, such as asthma and COPD.
- Lung Tissue Diseases:
- Lung tissue diseases affect the structure of lung tissue, where scarring or inflammation make it difficult for the lungs to expand and contract normally. Lung tissue diseases include pulmonary fibrosis or asbestosis.
- Lung Circulation Diseases:
- Lung circulation diseases are diseases that affect the blood vessels in the lungs, caused by clotting, scarring, or inflammation. They affect the ability of the lungs to move oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Lung circulation diseases include pulmonary hypertension and can also affect the function of the heart.
Diagnosing Lung Disease
To see how well a person’s lungs work and to identify any issues, doctors will frequently use pulmonary function tests. These noninvasive tests may include:
- Spirometry, which involves breathing through a tube attached to a computer to measure the amount of air a person breathes in and out. This can indicate lung size and the rate of airflow as they breathe.
- Lung volume tests, which measure the amount of air a person’s lungs can hold.
- Lung diffusion capacity tests, which measure how well oxygen from the air gets into the lungs.
- Pulse oximetry, which measures the oxygen level in a person’s blood.
- Exercise tests, which involve breathing into a tube while walking on a treadmill.
Other tests may include chest imaging, bronchoscopy, or thoracoscopy to determine the specific cause of a lung disease. In some cases, doctors may perform a pulmonary artery catheterization, which is completed by passing a long, thin plastic tube through a vein, into the heart, and then into the pulmonary artery. Dye can then be injected through the catheter to look for clots or other abnormalities and measurements can be taken through the tube. Because lung function can also affect the heart, doctors may utilize electrocardiography, or ECG, to measure the electrical impulses of the heart and echocardiography or ultrasonography of the heart.Madeksho Law Firm has been helping victims of lung cancer and lung disease since 1972. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a lung injury, call us for a free confidential consultation. Call 888-910-MESO (6376) or contact us here.
