COPD An Overview of Hyperinflated Lungs What to Know About Pulmonary Hyperinflation By Deborah Leader, RN Updated on October 25, 2023 Medically reviewed by Daniel More, MD Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Symptoms Complications Causes Diagnosis Treatment Hyperinflated lungs are expanded beyond their normal size because there is air trapped in them. Lung hyperinflation is common in people with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Hyperinflated lungs are also called pulmonary hyperinflation. Overinflation of the lungs means you can't take in as much new air when you breathe, which in turn means there is less oxygen circulating in your body. In addition to causing breathing problems, hyperinflated lungs can also lead to heart failure. This article will go over the symptoms of hyperinflated lungs, the conditions that can cause pulmonary hyperinflation, and how it's treated. Laura Porter / Verywell Obstructive vs. Restrictive Lung Disease Symptoms of Hyperinflated Lungs The symptoms of hyperinflated lungs are related to the underlying condition that has caused pulmonary hyperinflation. The reduced ability to exercise (exercise intolerance) is common with lung hyperinflation. You may feel exhausted and short of breath even when you're doing normal activity. In the early stages, extreme exercise intolerance can be the first sign of pulmonary hyperinflation. Other symptoms of hyperinflated lungs include: Difficulty inhalingStruggling to breathShortness of breathFatigue What Is Exercise Intolerance? Complications Lung hyperinflation can affect the function of the heart. Over time, increased pressure in the chest cavity (thorax) can cause changes to the left ventricle of the heart. These changes can reduce the ventricle's ability to pump blood out of the heart, leading to heart failure. Causes The major cause of hyperinflated lungs is COPD, which includes: Emphysema (irreversible enlargement and destruction of the air sacs of the lungs called alveoli) Chronic bronchitis (narrowing and clogging of the two main airways of the lungs, called the bronchi, due to long-standing inflammation) Other possible causes of lung hyperinflation include: Asthma Bronchiectasis Bronchiolitis Cystic fibrosis Lung hyperinflation can occur in any stage of COPD, but it is usually more severe in the advanced stages. Studies have shown that dynamic hyperinflation (when you start a new breath before fully exhaling) is present in all stages of COPD. Diagnosis Pulmonary hyperinflation can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms are commonly seen with other conditions. You'll usually need to see a lung disease specialist (pulmonologist). Hyperinflated lungs can be diagnosed by a provider through a physical exam, your medical history, and imaging tests. Your provider will listen for strange breath sounds with a stethoscope, including those that could be signs of valve regurgitation or a heart murmur. They will also look at your chest and watch how it moves when you breathe, as it can sometimes look abnormal if you have lung hyperinflation from COPD. Lung hyperinflation can be picked up on imaging tests, including: Chest X-rays (detailed images of the lungs, heart, and airways) Computed tomography (CT) scan (multiple X-ray images that create three-dimensional "slices" of the chest cavity) Echocardiogram (checks for problems with the heart) Your provider may do pulmonary function tests (PFTs) to see how your lungs are working. PFTs measure lung volume, lung capacity, rates of airflow, and the exchange of gases. Pulmonary Function Tests Treatment The treatment for pulmonary hyperinflation depends on what is causing it. Possible treatments for hyperinflated lungs include: Bronchodilators (medications that help expand the bronchi) Breathing exercises (such as purse-lipped breathing to help expand the airways) Oxygen therapy (restores blood oxygen to normal levels) Lung-volume reduction surgery (relieves compression of the lungs and heart when other treatments have not helped) Exercises like pursed lip-breathing have been found to improve oxygen saturation at rest in people with COPD. One small study found these exercises also increased exercise tolerance and endurance, and even improved airway capacity in some patients. Summary Pulmonary hyperinflation can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, difficulty inhaling, and exercise intolerance. The most common cause is COPD, but asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis can also cause lung hyperinflation. Pulmonary hyperinflation can be diagnosed with a physical exam, imaging tests, and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Depending on what's causing it, lung hyperinflation can be treated with bronchodilators, breathing exercises, oxygen therapy, or lung-volume reduction surgery. Common Lung Infections 11 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Gagnon P, Guenette JA, Langer D, et al. Pathogenesis of hyperinflation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2014;9:187-201. Published 2014 Feb 15. doi:10.2147/COPD.S38934 University of Michigan Health System. Lung volume reduction surgery. Xu Y, Yamashiro T, Moriya H, et al. Hyperinflated lungs compress the heart during expiration in COPD patients: a new finding on dynamic-ventilation computed tomography. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2017;12:3123-31. doi:10.2147/COPD.S145599 Sarkar M, Bhardwaz R, Madabhavi I, Modi M. Physical signs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Lung India. 2019;36(1):38-47. doi:10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_145_18 Zhang W, Lu H, Peng L, et al. Chronic bronchitis leads to accelerated hyperinflation in COPD patients during exercise. Respirology. 2015;20(4):618-625. doi:10.1111/resp.12504 Moutafidis D, Gavra M, Golfinopoulos S, et al. Lung hyperinflation quantitated by chest CT in children with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Clin Imaging. 2021;75:97-104. doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.01.011 van der Meer AN, de Jong K, Hoekstra-Kuik A, Bel EH, Ten Brinke A. Dynamic hyperinflation impairs daily life activity in asthma. Eur Respir J. 2019;53(4):1801500. Published 2019 Apr 11. doi:10.1183/13993003.01500-2018 Muston HN, Slaven JE, Tiller C, et al. Hyperinflation is associated with increased respiratory rate and is a more sensitive measure of cystic fibrosis lung disease during infancy compared to forced expiratory measures. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2021;56(9):2854-2860. doi:10.1002/ppul.25538 Hui S, How CH, Tee A. Does this patient really have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?. Singapore Med J. 2015;56(4):194-6. doi:10.11622/smedj.2015058 Marchetti N, Kaplan A. Dyspnea and hyperinflation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: impact on physical activity. Cleve Clin J Med. 2018;85(2 Suppl 1):S3-S10. doi:10.3949/ccjm.85.s1.02 Cabral LF, D'Elia Tda C, Marins Dde S, Zin WA, Guimarães FS. Pursed lip breathing improves exercise tolerance in COPD: a randomized crossover study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2015;51(1):79-88. Additional Reading Milenkovic B, Janjic SD, Popevic S. Review of lung sealant technologies for lung volume reduction in pulmonary disease. Med Devices (Auckl). 2018 Jun;11:225-31. doi:10.2147/MDER.S127136 Rossi A, Aisanov Z, Avdeev S, et al. Mechanisms, assessment and therapeutic implications of lung hyperinflation in COPD. Respir Med. 2015 Jul;109(7):785-802. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2015.03.010 Struß N, Bauersachs J, Welte T, Hohlfeld JM. Left heart function in COPD : Impact of lung deflation. Herz. 2019 Sep;44(6):477-82. doi:10.1007/s00059-019-4816-5 By Deborah Leader, RN Deborah Leader RN, PHN, is a registered nurse and medical writer who focuses on COPD. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit