Emphysema is a type of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease) that progressively damages the alveoli (air sacs) in the lungs and is mainly associated with smoking (Wells et al., 2012). The disease mainly causes breathing difficulties whereby this is associated with over-inflation of the air sacs in the lungs. As such, “barrel chest” configuration is among the key characteristics for emphysema whereby individuals suffering from the disease usually develop a “barrel chest” following progression of the disease. Based on the case study, the nurse would obviously expect the patient to have a “barrel chest” since he has had the disease for several years and this condition (barrel chest) is associated with progression of the disease. Typically, a “barrel chest” usually develops when there is chronic over-infiltration of the lungs with air as a result of the disease whereby this causes the rib cage to always become partially expanded without allowing the rib cage to deflate normally (Wells et al., 2012). Eventually, the rib cage expands in the back as well as the front resulting to the occurrence of a “barrel chest” whereby this aggravates the breathing difficulties.
Analysis of the arterial blood gases is among the key lab tests used in diagnosis of the disease whereby this helps in determining the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood system. In reference to the case study, the nurse would expect the arterial gases to be abnormal since the patient has suffered from the disease for several years. Essentially, the disease (Emphysema) usually damages the lung tissues and the alveoli (Churg, Sin & Wright, 2012). In regard to this, the disease usually causes the alveoli’s inner walls to weaken and subsequently rupture. As such, this creates a large single air space rather than several small air spaces whereby this reduces the number of alveoli as well as the lungs’ surface area resulting to less oxygen saturation in the blood stream. Thus, CH as well as other patients suffering from emphysema may develop various complications such as pneumothorax (collapsed lung), giant bullae or heart problems mainly due to the pathological process of the disease (Ninane et al., 2012).
References
Churg, A., Sin, D. D., & Wright, J. L. (2012). Everything prevents emphysema. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology.
Ninane, V., Geltner, C., Bezzi, M., Foccoli, P., Gottlieb, J., Welte, T., & Lopez, M. (2012). Multicentre European study for the treatment of advanced emphysema with bronchial valves. European Respiratory Journal, 39(6), 1319-1325.
Wells, J. M., Washko, G. R., Han, M. K., Abbas, N., Nath, H., Mamary, A. J., & Beaty, T. H. (2012). Pulmonary arterial enlargement and acute exacerbations of COPD. New England Journal of Medicine, 367(10), 913-921.
