COPD Research Paper

* 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.

Some of the symptoms of COPD are similar to the symptoms of other diseases and conditions.

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.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 12 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with COPD. Many more may be affected and don’t know they have it. Its generality increases with age. Men are more likely to have the disease, but the death rate for men and women is the same (2014).

COPD is an irreversible progressive lung disease that makes it harder for people to breath. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (2015), COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The cause of COPD is from long term smokers and also from people who smoke marijuana which increases a higher risk of COPD. Normally it begins with a cold or infection of the pharynx. Chest pain along with coughing having shortness of breath, and wheezing

These diseases are mainly caused by the use of tobacco, but also can be triggered from pollution in the air. People who are in contact with second-hand smoke may also experience COPD. Other risk-factors include poorly ventilated homes and fuels that burn during cooking. People 40 years of age or older and have some history of smoking are at increased risk for developing this condition. More than 11 million people are diagnosed with chronic obstruction pulmonary disease.

COPD is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation as a result of significant exposure to noxious particles or gases

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the airways and tissues of the lungs gradually become damaged over time, causing

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. COPD is a gradually developing disease that makes it hard to breathe. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other similar symptoms.

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.).

There are many factors that contribute to the diagnosis of COPD. Smoking is the most common cause behind the disease. According to Healthline Networks,

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

What exactly is COPD? First of all, COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a disease that gets worse over time and makes it difficult for one to breath. It can also cause a cough that produces sputum, wheezing, shortness of breath, fast breathing, fatigue, chest tightness, and more. A person can get COPD from exposure to lung irritants (over a period of time) that cause harm to the lungs and the airway. Some factors are exposure to tobacco smoke, people with asthma who smoke, occupational exposure to dusts and chemicals, age (people 40 years of age or older), and genetics. Cigarette smoking remains the number one most commonly encountered risk factor in the development of COPD. The majority of cases of COPD are caused by

All over the world, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a very significant and prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality, and it is increasing with time (Hurd, 2000; Pauwels, 2000; Petty, 2000). Due to the factor of COPD being an underdiagnosed and undertreated disease, the epidemiology (Pauwels, Rabe, 2004) is about 60 to 85 % with mild or moderate COPD remaining undiagnosed (Miravitlles et al., 2009; Hvidsten et al., 2010).