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Top: Health: Conditions_and_Diseases: Respiratory_Disorders: Chronic_Obstructive_Pulmonary_Disease: Emphysema
An abnormal condition of the lungs in which there is over inflation of the air sacs of the lungs, leading to a breakdown of their wall, a decrease in respiratory function, and, in severe cases, increasing breathlessness. It appears to be associated with chronic bronchitis, smoking and advancing age; one form that occurs early in life is related to a hereditary lack of an enzyme.
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