Question:

My 74 yr old father has end stage emphysema with a lung function of less than 20%. He drools a lot and recently the drool has black coffee ground like substance in it. What is this and is it an indication of the progression of this disease.

Answer:

Thanks for the question. The drooling and coffee ground like substance is not a symptom of his emphysema but can be related to several other problems and you should contact his primary care physician to look into this. In regards to your question about prognosis of emphysema, we have a page on Netwellness that discusses this and may be helpful for you in knowing what to expect.

Emphysema: Stages and Life Expectancy

For more information:

Go to the COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) health topic.