An overview of hyperinflated lungs

Pulmonary hyperinflation occurs when air is trapped in the lungs, causing them to expand too much. This, in turn, reduces the amount of oxygen flow in the body. Lung hyperinflation is most commonly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Besides breathing problems, this can sometimes lead to heart failure.

Symptoms

It can often be difficult to distinguish the symptoms of pulmonary hyperinflation from those of the underlying condition that caused it.

If you have hyperinflated lungs, you may experience:

• Difficulty inhaling

• wheeze

• Difficulty breathing

• Tired

• Low energy

Exercise intolerance (reduced ability to exercise) is common with pulmonary hyperinflation. You may feel exhausted and short of breath even with normal activity. In the early stages, extreme exercise intolerance may be the first sign of pulmonary hyperinflation.

Complications

One of the biggest concerns about lung hyperinflation is that it can affect heart function. With hyperinflation, increased pressure in the chest cavity (thorax) can cause changes in the left ventricle of the heart over time,

These changes can reduce the ventricle's ability to pump blood away from the heart, leading to heart failure.

Causes

The main cause of overinflated lungs is COPD, a lung disease characterized by three conditions:

• Emphysema: Irreversible enlargement and destruction of air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli.

• Chronic bronchitis: narrowing and blockage of the two main airways of the lungs, called the bronchi, due to long-term inflammation.

Other causes include:

• Asthma

• Bronchiectasis

• Bronchiolitis

• Cystic fibrosis

Diagnosis

Diagnosing pulmonary hyperinflation usually involves a physical exam, a review of your medical history, and imaging tests.

As part of the physical exam, the doctor will listen for unusual breath sounds with a stethoscope, including those that indicate valve regurgitation or a heart murmur. A person with hyperinflated lungs may also have a "barrel chest" in which the chest appears to be inflated all the time.

Lung hyperinflation can be detected by imaging tests, including:

• Chest x-rays, provide detailed images of the lungs, heart, and airways

• Computed tomography (CT), which combines multiple X-ray images to create three-dimensional "slices" of the chest cavity

• Echocardiogram used to check for heart problems

Your doctor may perform pulmonary function tests (PFTs), a series of non-invasive tests that show how well your lungs are working. PFTs measure lung volume, lung capacity, airflow, and gas exchange.

Due to the non-specificity of symptoms, pulmonary hyperinflation can be difficult to diagnose and usually requires a pulmonologist who specializes in lung disease.

Treatment

There are several treatments used in the treatment of pulmonary hyperinflation, some of which are more invasive than others. These include:

Bronchodilators: Drugs that help dilate the bronchi

Breathing exercises: including pursed-lip breathing to help widen the airways

Oxygen therapy - to restore oxygen in the blood to normal, healthy levels

Lung volume reduction surgery: a type of surgery used to relieve compression of the lungs and heart when other options fail

Summary

Lung hyperinflation is a condition associated with COPD and other lung diseases that causes them to swell too much. This can lead to shortness of breath, fatigue, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance. Asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis are other possible causes.

Lung hyperinflation can be diagnosed by physical examination, imaging tests, and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Depending on its severity, pulmonary hyperinflation can be treated with bronchodilators, breathing exercises, oxygen therapy, or lung volume reduction surgery.