Symptoms and Complications
There may be few symptoms at the beginning of the disease. As the air
sacs become damaged, shortness of breath on exertion is usually the first warning
sign. As emphysema progresses, you may experience shortness of breath even when
you're resting.
As the air sacs become more stretched, air gets trapped in pockets called bullae
that form in the lungs. This can produce a characteristic "barrel chest"
which is the shape of the hyperexpanded chest.
Bullae can rupture outside the lung into the pleural space, the space that
surrounds the lung. As the air accumulates outside the lung, it may result in
a life-threatening condition called pneumothorax. This strains the heart and
may cause right-sided heart failure (cor pulmonale). The body will also
attempt to compensate for the low oxygen level by increasing the number of red
blood cells (secondary polycythemia).