Signs and symptoms of pulmonary emphysema

Emphysema is a progressive, degenerative disease of the airways whose main causes are smoking and air pollution.

In emphysema, there is a destruction of alveoli become stretched and lose the ability to perform normal gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide).

The main signs and symptoms of this disease are:

- Breathlessness
- Dyspnea with physical activity that can progress even the slightest effort
- Cough
- Coughing up mucus
- Panting breaths, short
- Weight Loss
- Difficulty sleeping