Table of Contents
- Overview
- Prevention
- Images
Information
The lungs have two primary functions: to acquire oxygen from the air, which is required for life, and to remove carbon dioxide from the body. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of many of the chemical reactions that sustain life.
During breathing, air enters and exits the lungs. It flows in through increasingly smaller airways, finally filling tiny sacs called alveoli. Blood circulates around the alveoli through capillaries (tiny blood vessels). Where the capillaries and alveoli meet, oxygen crosses into the bloodstream. At the same time, carbon dioxide crosses from the bloodstream into the alveoli to be exhaled.
The lungs are continuously being exposed to particles in the air, including smoke, pollen, dust, and microorganisms. Some of these inhaled substances can cause lung disease if enough is inhaled or if the body is particularly sensitive to them.
Review Date: 11/29/2010
Reviewed By: Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care,
and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New
Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
