Final answer:
Emphysema causes several pathophysiological changes in the lungs, including decreased lung compliance, destruction of alveolar walls, and increased lung volume.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emphysema is a chronic lung disease that causes the breakdown of lung tissue. One of the pathophysiological changes in the lungs that occur with emphysema is a decrease in the compliance of the lung, which means that the lung becomes less elastic and loses its ability to expand and contract efficiently. This leads to air getting trapped in the lungs, making breathing more difficult.
Another pathophysiological change is the destruction of the walls of the alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange takes place. This reduces the surface area available for gas exchange and impairs the diffusion of oxygen into the bloodstream.
Additionally, emphysema can lead to an increase in lung volume. As the disease progresses, the lungs can become hyperinflated, with large volumes of air trapped in the lungs at the end of exhalation.