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Causes

COVID-19 is caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus strain. The disease is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract. The virus is present in both the lower and upper airways. The virus falls under the sub-category of coronaviruses, viruses are known for their distinct spike proteins on the surface. These spike proteins break off from the virus and attach themselves to a receptor protein called ACE2. Normally, ACE2 plays a role in regulating blood pressure. However, when the coronavirus binds to it, it induces chemical changes that fuse the membranes around the cell and the virus together. This allows the virus’s RNA to enter the cell. The virus then hijacks the protein-synthesizing machinery to create thousands of copies of its RNA and protein spikes. Parts of the virus’s RNA also code for proteins that stay in the host cell. One stops the host cell from sending out signals to the immune system that it’s under attack. Another tells the host cell to release the newly created viruses, and another helps the virus resist the host cell’s immunity.

Symptoms

Most common symptoms:

fever

cough

tiredness

loss of taste or smell

Less common symptoms:

sore throat

headache

aches and pains

diarrhoea

a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

red or irritated eyes

Serious symptoms:

difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

loss of speech or mobility, or confusion

chest pain

Treatments

- Take two doses of COVID-19 vaccine
- Cooperate with contact-tracing procedures to stop the spread of the virus.
- Wear a medical mask to protect others, including if/when you need to seek medical care.

- Keep the room well-ventilated.

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Emphysema is a condition that affects the air sacs of the alveoli in the lungs. These air sacs rupture with time as they become weaker and thinner. The largest issue of this is that it reduces the surface area of the lungs, as larger air spaces are created rather than having many small ones.

Emphysema is a type of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This affects the amount of oxygen that reaches the bloodstream. As you exhale, the alveoli trap old air, and prevent you from being able to inhale as much fresh, oxygen-rich air.

Causes:

Smoking: tobacco and marijuana smoke causes damage to the walls of the lungs and the alveoli air sacs

Air pollution: consistent breathing of chemicals (fumes) or dust from cotton, grain or wood can cause damage as well, breathing of car exhaust or indoor heating fuel can also increase the risk of developing COPD

Age (risk factor): people with tobacco (smoking) related emphysema will begin to develop symptoms between the ages of 40 and 60

Symptoms (and consequences):
- shortness of breath
- inability to carry out physical activity
- collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
- heart problems (increased pressure in the arteries bw/ heart and lungs)
- holes in the lungs (bullae) which increase the risk of pneumothorax

Treatment and Preventative Measures:

Emphysema and COPD in general cannot be cured. However there are treatment options:

Medications: steroids (inhaled), antibiotics, bronchodilators to relieve coughing and shortness of breath

Therapy: rehabilitation through pulmonary exercises, proper diet and nutrition (losing weight will help), being on oxygen

Surgery: lung transplant (severe cases), removing small damaged parts of the lung

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Causes:
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Asbestos dust particles lodge in the lungs and cannot be broken down

Smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco)

Second hand smoke (about 3% of all cases)

Air pollution: diesel exhaust fumes contain many carcinogens (compounds causing cancer)

Family history

Lowered immunity

Radon gas: some parts of the world have a high concentration of radon (a radioactive gas). It emits alpha particles, which can cause mutations when inhaled.

Symptoms:

Shortness of breath

Cough that does not go away

Coughing  blood

Chest Pain (other areas might too)

Accumulation of fluid in the chest

Spread of cancer to other parts of the body

Loss of appetite or weight loss

Fatigue

Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis.

Treatments:

Surgery (An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue)

Chemotherapy (Using  medication to shrink or kill the cancer. Can be pills or injected into veins, sometimes both)

Radiation therapy ( Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer)

Targeted therapy ( Using medication to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. The drugs can be pills or injected into veins)

sources

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/diagnosis_treatment.htm
https://app.kognity.com/study/app/bio-hl-core/hum-phys-core/gas-exchange-core/lung-cancer-core

Surgery (An operation where doctors cut out cancer tissue)