Researchers have found a way to detect emphysema in the blood before any symptoms appear.
Until now, the only way to diagnose the disease was when symptoms like shortness of breath start. Scientists hope this will save lives by getting smokers to quit sooner and will lead to a simple blood test for the disease. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases like emphysema are the fourth leading killer of Americans.
Emphysema destroys air sacs in the lung, making it hard to breath.
That’s usually the first sign of the disease, but now researchers have developed a way to find it with a simple blood test. More study is needed before the blood test is approved for widespread use, but some doctors say it could convince smokers to quit earlier.
Finding emphysema early could save lives. Obstructive lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
Almost all those deaths are due to smoking.