COPD-Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease

COPD- preventable and treatable disease state characterized by chronic airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles or gases, primarily caused by cigarette smoking.

There are no cure for this disease. However, there are different treatment to prevent further deterioration of the lungs function in order to improve the quality of life of the patient by increasing capacity of their physical activity. One of the main severe complication a patient with COPD can develop is exacerbation. Increased breathlessness, increased sputum volume and purulent sputum are the signs and symptoms of exacerbation. Early detection of the signs of exacerbation can help keep the condition of the patient from worsening. The treatments of COPD mainly aims at controlling the symptoms of exacerbation such as taking inhalers. Patients who are over the age of 35 and ex-smokers with chronic cough and bronchitis are recommended to have spirometer (NICE, 2004). This is because it is possible to delay or prevent patients from developing severe case of COPD is identified before they lose their lungs functions. Oxygen therapy is another treatment for COPD as the patients with this condition has high

* COPD: Chronic obstructive lung disease decreases the lungs ability to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. As the disease progress the patient has to work harder and harder to breathe often feeling as if they are suffocating. These disease are often link to a lifetime of smoking but be due to environmental factors.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD, is a relatively common chronic illness that is treatable, however there is currently has no cure. COPD is an illness that encompasses two major illnesses these illnesses are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both of these illnesses wreak havoc on the lungs of the affected person by causing mucus to build up in the bronchioles henceforth reducing the effectiveness of the alveoli which impairs gas exchange. According to the American Lung Association, “COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 11 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, but an estimated 24 million may have the disease without even knowing it” (American Lung Association [ALA], n.d.). As this data from the American Lung Association shows, in the United States alone we may have a total of 35 million people (almost one tenth of the American population) living with COPD. QSEN, which stands for Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, has developed six competencies related to nursing care. These competencies are Patient-Centered Care, Teamwork and Collaboration, Evidence-Based Practice, Quality Improvement, Safety, and Informatics. These aforementioned QSEN competencies break down how nurses should be treating patients and working with the health care team.

First step preventing COPD is to know how it affects the body and the path taken; this is called the pathology. In normal, healthy breathing a person breathes in air that is moves through the bronchial tubes to the bronchioles. At the end of the bronchioles there are air sacs called alveoli. The alveoli are elastic air sacs that control the gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to the body (Smoking, 2016). The alveoli consist of elastic tissue so when a person breaths in the the alveoli can expand and when the carbon dioxide is released it can deflate and return to it’s normal size.

Another treatment is and oxygen treatment which gives you extra oxygen and you wear a mask which you can carry with you or go to the doctor. Some have small oxygen where you carry in backpack but you would need to carry with you at all times. Lastly, surgery with is not really used when someone has COPD and only for those whom have a severe COPD and the treatment does not improve with other treatment listed above. Prevention really is to just stop smoking and exposure to

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is in the top five principal cause of death in the U.S. The disease is an abnormal inflammatory reaction in the lungs with limited airflow. COPD characteristically arises around the age 35. Smoking continues to be the main source of COPD, but is not the only known root cause. In many studies, smoking explanations for at least three fourths of COPD cases ("Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | University of Maryland Medical Center," n.d.). Stopping smoking has been known to improve lung capabilities and help to prevent death from COPD. Genetic conditions and introductions to airborne toxins, irritants and gasses are correspondingly involved in the growth of the illness. A complete treatment plan could comprise of lifestyle changes, one or more medications, patient education, oxygen therapy respiratory rehabilitation, and surgery ("Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | University of Maryland Medical Center," n.d.).

COPD is almost always caused by smoking, or second hand smoke. The tobacco smoke irritates the airways and destroys the fibers in the lungs. Breathing in chemical fumes, dust, or air pollution over a long period of time may also cause it. It usually takes a long time for the lung damage to start causing symptoms, so COPD is most come in people who are older than 60.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is major leading cause of morbidity and mortality in United States. There are some risk factors for COPD like age and smoking and other illnesses, often leading COPD patients to present with multiple coexisting comorbidities. COPD exacerbations and comorbidities plays a major role in the overall severity in individual’s health. The management and the medical intervention in COPD patients with comorbidities need a holistic approach. All of the health care specialists in COPD management need to work together with professionals specialized in the management of the other chronic diseases in order to provide a multidisciplinary approach to COPD patients with multiple diseases. A patient M. A. 72 years

There are many still in the stages of testing but should come along soon. One of these in study are endobronchial devices which is in phase three trials and are valves inserted into the bronchi. These depend on inter-lobar fissures and are only for those with heterogeneous emphysema. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists are also in study. They are molecularly different than other bronchodilators and also reduces the side effects these other drugs bring about. Gene therapy is another thing being proposed for treatment. This trial seems like it will be ongoing and may never reach the market because it is very dangerous to the patient. These along with many others could increase the effects of COPD on many in the future.

The United States has two lung diseases categorized under the definition of COPD. They are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

The most important treatment is to quit smoking, if you are a smoker, and your doctor will assist you with the program that can help you to quit, and avoid other lungs irritants. There are also medications that can help to relieve your symptoms like bronchodilators depending on the severity of your COPD, as there is short acting and long acting bronchodilators. These bronchodilators are used through inhaler which helps to deliver the medicine into your lungs. If your COPD is severe and flare up more often the Pulmonologist (doctor who studies and treats the disease of the lungs) may combine Glucocorticosteroids (steroid) with your bronchodilator inhaler. Diets and exercises also plays major roles in the treatments of COPD, meanwhile, you may be restricted from eating certain foods or eating less, or frequently to prevent symptoms to flare up. Moderate exercise can also be suggested to strengthen the muscle of your lungs and to increase your overall

The risk factors of COPD include genetic factors as well as environmental causes. The chief risk factor for COPD is smoking; which also includes people exposed to enormous amounts of secondhand smoke. However, there are certainly other causes that can increase the risk of a person developing the disease such as dust and chemicals. Long term exposure to their fumes, vapors or particles can also cause the swelling of lungs (Eisner et al., 2010).

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, also known as COPD, is the third leading cause of death in the United States. COPD includes extensive lungs diseases such as emphysema, non-reversible asthma, specific forms of bronchiectasis, and chronic bronchitis. This disease restricts the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Ways in which these limitations may occur include the loss of elasticity in the air sacs and throughout the airways, the destruction of the walls between air sacs, the inflammation or thickening of airway walls, or the overproduction of mucus in airways which can lead to blockage. Throughout this paper I am going to explain the main causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and ways to reduce COPD.

Several risk factors that are responsible for the development and progression of this disease includes tobacco smoke, air pollutants, occupational dusts and chemicals, genetics, history of childhood respiratory infections, socio-economic status and exposure to second hand smoke (SHS). ,