Emphysema

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Risk Factors and Causes

The primary risk factor for emphysema is cigarette smoking. More than 90% of cases occur in people who smoke or have smoked cigarettes (sometimes called "smokers emphysema"). The risk for emphysema increases with the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day and the longer a person smokes. Exposure to second-hand smoke also increases the risk.

Chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause continuous low-grade inflammation in lung tissue. Inflammatory cells release enz...Read the full article