There are a couple dozen other elements that are in there in trace amounts, but to a first approximation you're just a bag of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Now, it turns out that the atmosphere is a bag of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen as well, and it's not living.
Cigarette smoking is the most common irritant that causes emphysema. Pipe, cigar, and other types of tobacco smoking can also cause emphysema, especially if the smoke is inhaled. Fumes and Dust. Breathing in other fumes and dusts over a long period of time may also cause the disease.
Causes of emphysema. The biggest known cause or risk factor for emphysema-and for COPD-is smoking.4,6-8 Cigarette smoking is responsible for around 90% of cases of COPD.7 However, COPD will develop only in smokers who are genetically susceptible-smoking does not always lead to the disease.8. Smoking is the leading cause of emphysema.