Glossary

alveoli	the small airsacs which allow the oxygen in the air to transfer to the blood. emphysema is effectively the destruction of these airsacs
allele	a gene region on the chromosome
COPD	chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema is in this group of diseases
DNA	the chemical building blocks of cells
emphysema	the destruction of the airsacs in the lung which leads to reduced internal lung surface area and thus the reduction in oxygen absorption
exacerbation	an episode of illness such as a chest infection which can lead to lung damage
FEV1	forced expiration volume. The amount of air that can be breathed out in the first second.
genes	part of the DNA found in every cell. The common gene types in the UK are labelled M, S and Z. Each cell has 2 genes so the problem type is ZZ.
genotyping	identifying the type of genes a person’s DNA contains
nucleotides	chemical messages in the genes which determine the function of the gene
phenotyping	identifying the type of genes a person’s DNA contains
Prolastin	alpha-1 antitrypsin replacement purified from blood
SOB	shortness of breath