Smoking destroys the tiny air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs that allow oxygen exchange. When you smoke, you are damaging some of those air sacs. Alveoli don’t grow back, so when you destroy them, you have permanently destroyed part of your lungs. When enough alveoli are destroyed, the disease emphysema develops. Emphysema causes severe shortness of breath and can lead to death.

Related posts:

  1. Medicare Card, February Is American Heart Month Medicare Card, February Is American Heart Month...
  2. Medicare – Lung Disease the Links to Health People with a mild form of a common lung condition—even those without symptoms—are at increased risk for heart problems, according to a new study. This is the first report that mild, often-symptomless chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be linked to the heart's pumping ability...
  3. Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Brain Did you know that Nicotine from cigarettes is as addictive as heroin?  Nicotine addiction is hard to beat because it changes your brain. The brain develops extra nicotine receptors to accommodate the large doses of nicotine from tobacco. When the brain stops getting the nicotine it’s used to, the result is nicotine withdrawal. You may […]...
  4. Medicare Card, How Smoking Puts Stress on Your Heart Medicare Card, How Smoking Puts Stress on Your Heart...
  5. Medicare Card, Study shows unassisted method works best to restore independent breathing in patients on ventilators Medicare Card, Study shows unassisted method works best to restore independent breathing in patients on ventilators...
  6. Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Ears Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Ears...
  7. Medicare Card, Learn How to Prevent Lead Poisoning Medicare Card, Learn How to Prevent Lead Poisoning...
  8. Medicare Card, Too much protein may kill brain cells as Parkinson’s progresses Medicare Card, Too much protein may kill brain cells as Parkinson's progresses...
  9. Medicare Card, Lung Cancer and How to Reduce Your Risk Medicare Card, Lung Cancer and How to Reduce Your Risk...
  10. Medicare, After 40 Years, NIH-Supported Researchers Identify Possible New Treatment for Severe Vasculitis Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a severe form of vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels. In a six-month study, a new treatment strategy provided the same benefits as the current standard of care used for more than 40 years but required less […]...
  11. Medicare, NHLBI launches program on early cystic fibrosis lung disease Researchers will study pre-symptomatic lung disease in infants and young children with cystic fibrosis (CF), under a new grant program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Results could reveal how CF develops, which in turn could lead to interventions that delay or prevent disease progression. The studies also could provide critical information […]...
  12. Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Eyes Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Eyes...
  13. Medicare Card, Benefits of higher oxygen, breathing device persist after infancy Medicare Card, Benefits of higher oxygen, breathing device persist after infancy...
  14. Medicare Card, Organ and Tissue Donation Medicare Card, Organ and Tissue Donation...
  15. Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Mouth Medicare Card, How Smoking Effects Your Mouth...