Lung volumes and capacities can be altered in a 74-year-old woman who struggles with breathlessness because her alveoli have been destroyed over time.
Lung volumes and lung capacities measure the amount of air in the lungs. Volume is the quantity of air used for one activity (e.g breathing or expiration), whereas capacity is the sum of more than one volume (i.e. the maximum amount of air that can be breathed in from expiration).
The fundamental issue for this woman is that her alveoli have been destroyed over time, resulting in areas of the lungs where the air is trapped.
This entrapment is increased by airway obstruction, which is most noticeable during expiration(breathing out from lungs).
As a result, her residual volume has increased significantly. The retained air has enlarged the lungs, increasing the task of breathing substantially. This greater work of breathing leads to her sense of being out of breath.
Learn more about how the lungs work here:
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