what is the average life expectancy of a person with emphysema?
Posted by admin | Posted in emphysema | Posted on 28-01-2009
My dad has emphysema and his Dr just put him on continuous oxgyen. unfortunatly he still cannot kick the smokeing habbit, he is in his early 70's, and has smoked forever .when I went to visit him a week ago,he slips into the bathroom and smokes then comes back into the living room and inhales oxgyen till he feels better .
I would not say anything to him or voice any concerns as he has already told my brother he is grown and he will do as he pleases….so why bother….
I seen him sit on the edge of his couch and gasp for air many times while I was visiting and it breakes my heart.
Life expectancy with emphysema varies from case to case. There is no average. However there are 3 things that shorten life expectancy. A forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of exhaling that is less than 1 liter per minute. This is the amount of air that a person can forcefully blow out in the first second of exhaling, which is measured as part of a simple breathing test called spirometry. Severe bouts with emphysema that occur frequently can shorten life expectancy. Smoking causes emphysema to progress 3 times faster. This means the FEV1 drops 3 times faster in smokers than in non-smokers. So the most important thing that your father can do to help himself is to quit smoking. It is not possible to say that this will stop the emphysema from effecting more of his lung, but it will slow down the rate of progression.
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Life expectancy with emphysema varies from case to case. There is no average. However there are 3 things that shorten life expectancy. A forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of exhaling that is less than 1 liter per minute. This is the amount of air that a person can forcefully blow out in the first second of exhaling, which is measured as part of a simple breathing test called spirometry. Severe bouts with emphysema that occur frequently can shorten life expectancy. Smoking causes emphysema to progress 3 times faster. This means the FEV1 drops 3 times faster in smokers than in non-smokers. So the most important thing that your father can do to help himself is to quit smoking. It is not possible to say that this will stop the emphysema from effecting more of his lung, but it will slow down the rate of progression.
References :
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/RespiratoryDisorders/messages/1393.html
You know, you sound so worried to me and you are doing the
best you can….
Your dad is grown man and he already has the disease, knows
the outcome and still continues to smoke……it is so hard to quit smoking so let the man be. stopping smoking now is not
going to help his expectancy…..just be there and enjoy him
and let him enjoy himself…….
do not preach to him, let him enjoy a good smoke and
breath his oxygen when needed.
References :
Hi cops wife,
I can't say exactly, as it depends on how bad his lungs are as measured by spirometry (FEV1 in particular) in his lung docs office, along with other problems he may have, like heart disease. etc…
However, your question attracted me for another reason, one that is not always talked about by pulmonologists, but I feel is particulary important- and if you have already thought about it then skip to the next reponse now- but what I want to talk about is "quality of life".
Your father will pass away in the next 10 years- I can safely at least give that estimate, as will we ALL at some point. But interestingly, in taking care of patients at the end of their lives, I find that to them, it's not so much how LONG they live, but their QUALITY of life in their final days and years.
Honestly, stopping smoking at this point will not prolong his life by a significant numer of years, but the stress for him to stop smoking will affect him greatly. It sounds like he has made up his mind, (and belive me, he is not alone, as I believe I have responded in the past) and the best that you can do for him is to be there, to help him with his needs, and to see that he is as comfortable as he can be in his remaining years…
In that regard, be sure to have "advanced directives" done: "I would not want to be placed on a ventilator or have CPR administered if I were to stop breathing etc…". Get affairs in order, and consider hospice (preferrably in a setting that is comfortable to him, when the time is right- that is 6 months prior to death- (not in the days immediately proceeding, as I so often see!) Your physician and pulmonologist can help you with these.
I know they are tough topics for us to bring up, but believe me, they are usually tougher for you and the doctor to discuss than the patient who is dying…they usually are way ahead of us in that regard, and unfortunately I see many patients suffer, because their families, doctors, etc didn't want to let them go and be comfortable, long after they had made up their minds but could no longer voice them…
I wish him and, more importantly, you peace…(as I think he already has it.)
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