Patient's question:
Recently, I've been experiencing chest pain and tightness in my chest. The hospital examination indicated a respiratory disease, but the medication hasn't been very effective. Recently, my cough has worsened. Is it painful for patients with advanced emphysema?Doctor's answer:
If elderly patients have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for a long time, it can lead to cor pulmonale in the later stage. Emphysema patients often face death due to respiratory failure or left heart failure. If bullae rupture and fuse, surgical treatment can be considered to alleviate emphysema. However, this surgery is usually performed 1-2 times, as more frequent procedures do not yield better results and may not be tolerated by the elderly's bodies. Currently, medication is needed to control the condition and alleviate symptoms accordingly.