Lung Diseases

Our lungs allow us to breath and get oxygen into the bloodstream and the cells of our bodies. During a normal day, we breathe nearly 25,000 times, and take in (or inhale) large amounts of air. The air we take in is mostly oxygen and nitrogen. But air also has things in it that can hurt our lungs - bacteria, viruses, tobacco smoke, car exhaust, and other air pollutants. Lung disease is not only a killer, it can be life-long (or chronic). More than 30 million Americans are now living with lung disease.