Emphysema (cont.)
IN THIS ARTICLE
Prevention
The prevention of emphysema is closely linked to the prevention of smoking. The only risk factor for this disease that you can control is the smoking of cigarettes. Those who are daily smokers put themselves and their health at increasing risk with every pack of cigarettes and with every year they continue to smoke.
Flare-ups of emphysema can be prevented by taking medications as prescribed and seeking medical care for any signs or symptoms of respiratory infection or shortness of breath. Also, if you have emphysema, you should keep current on vaccines that can prevent respiratory infection. It is important to obtain the pneumococcal vaccine every 5 years, and the influenza virus vaccine every year, before flu season.
Next: Outlook »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Emphysema - Describe Your Experience
Please describe your experience with emphysema.
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Lung Disease/COPD Resources
- 6 Places Germs Lurk in Your Home
- COPD Health Check: Assess Yourself
- COPD Tips: How to Use Your Inhaler
Featured Centers
- 12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Viruses
- 10 Surprising Benefits of Treating Depression
- Healthy Home: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic?
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Emphysema »
The word emphysema is derived from Greek and means "to blow into," hence "air containing" or "air inflated."
Featured Topics
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds

