What Is Emphysema?

By jolene

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5. Causes

The most established environmental risk factor is smoking. It has been observed that 1 in every 5 smokers develop COPD while 80% to 90% of COPD patients have a history of smoking. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AAT) syndrome has also been associated with COPD. 2% of intravenous drug users develop emphysema due to the damage to pulmonary vessels from insoluble fillers (such as cotton fibers, cornstarch, talc, or cellulose) found in methylphenidate and methadone. In intravenous cocaine or heroin users, bullous cysts have been found in the upper lobes. A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has also been found to be a risk factor for emphysema. Other possible causes are hypocomplementemic vasculitis urticaria syndrome (HVUS), connective tissue disorders, and Salla disease.