Emphysema

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Emphysema is a lung condition that affects the small air sacs (alveoli) where oxygen passes into the blood and carbon dioxide passes out.

As a result of the disease, the walls of the alveoli break down so that larger air spaces are formed. The effect is that the total surface area available for gas exchange is greatly reduced. Less oxygen gets into the blood and there is a reduced supply to the vital organs. The waste gas, carbon dioxide, also canâ€™t get out so easily, and there is a rise in the amount of this gas in the blood.

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