Is emphysema always fatal?

Hmmm...: Emphysema is a chronic lung disease. That means it can get worse over time, and eventually, one can die from it. Another way to look at it is: emphysema is always fatal if you don't die of something else first, and likewise, emphysema is never fatal if something else kills you first. Thus, there is no good answer for such a question... but, be safe... never smoke anything.

Emphysema: Severe emphysema in late stages can cause respiratory failure.Emphysema is damage to the smaller airways and air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs. http://patient.info/health/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-leaflet