the tar like substance prevents your lungs from taking in enough oxygen.
Because emphysema reduce the oxygen perfusion (transfer) from alveoli into the blood thus also reduce the oxygen supply to the muscle and organ. Reduce the oxygen delivery to the periphery cause weight loss and thus they (emphysema patient) look thin.
Decreased Oxygen, increased CO2, Acidosis
People with emphysema often have damaged alveoli, which reduces their lung capacity and ability to exchange oxygen efficiently. As a result, they may experience low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia). Breathing pure oxygen helps to increase the amount of oxygen available in the bloodstream, alleviating symptoms and improving overall oxygenation, which is crucial for their body's functions. This supplemental oxygen can enhance their quality of life and reduce the strain on their respiratory system.
COPD -emphysema and chronic bronchitis
Decrease in alveolar surface area results in less boundary across which oxygen can be absorbed into the blood.
Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that is characterized by damage to the air sacs in the lungs. This can result in decreased oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia) and increased carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia), leading to respiratory acidosis. Over time, these chemical alterations can affect the body's pH balance and lead to further complications.
Bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer can significantly impact blood oxygen levels and overall circulation. In bronchitis, inflammation and mucus production can hinder airflow, leading to reduced oxygen exchange in the lungs. Emphysema damages the alveoli, further impairing oxygen absorption and causing hypoxia. Lung cancer may obstruct airways or invade blood vessels, disrupting normal respiratory function and potentially leading to systemic issues, including anemia and increased carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
oxygen
Conditions like anemia, chronic lung diseases, and carbon monoxide poisoning can reduce the amount of oxygen that blood can carry. In these situations, the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin in red blood cells is affected, leading to decreased oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood.
In emphysema there is actual breakdown of the alveoli; the tiny air sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged in the lungs. When they are broken down they are replaced with scar tissues and and a loss of surface area. Human lungs have an area about the size of a tennis court when all the alveoli are healthy. A person with emphysema may have only a fraction of that available area for the gas exchange to occur. That is why they end up needing a respirator, so more concentrated oxygen can enter their partially functioning lungs so that they can get enough oxygen into their blood stream.
Low oxygen and high carbon dioxide levels are often indicative of chronic bronchitis, but not always of emphysema
Pneumonia fills the lung's alveoli with fluid, keeping oxygen from reaching the bloodstream.