As the number of smokers are rapidly increasing recently, the number of patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is also gradually increasing. It is one of the most common chronic diseases and is considered to be one of the five leading diseases following heart disease, pneumonia, HIV and AIDS worldwide (GOLD, 2004). Smoking is the main cause of COPD. However, long term exposure to chemical fumes and air pollution could also cause COPD. This essay is all about how COPD affects individual, family and society as a whole across their lifespan. Also, it discusses the role of a nurse in caring patients with COPD.
Chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic asthma are the main three conditions that make up COPD. Emphysema causes
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Due to the deterioration of their economic status they could feel embarrassed to face the society and might also feel burdened towards the family members and friends and might not want to participate in the social events. COPD is most common on people over the age of 35 and the risk of getting COPD gradually increases along with the age and the drug therapy costs £718 per patient every year (NICE, 2011).
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
The purpose of this paper is to discuss an exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and its effect on my patient, Mr. HS, a 78 year old male. In this paper we will look at the various facets in the disease process including its incidence, pathophysiology, presenting complaints, analysis of his clinical presentation, and discuss treatment. We will analyze the effect the disease process has on Mr. HS and will examine his clinical manifestations and laboratory work, as well as provide an outcome analysis. Understanding these various facets will enable one to understand
In this reflective piece of writing I will be explaining how chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the patient physically, psychologically ,and socially ,I will also explain how the disease affects his daily routine and how it impacts on his family life. I will give an overview of the clinical signs and symptoms, how the disease alters the pathphysiology of the lungs, and what these changes cause within the body.
Millions of people around the world are dealing with epidemic impact on life when living with COPD. Many believe that having COPD stopped them from wanting to fulfill life goals and dreams because of the fear of what they could have may hinder them. Some believe that life isn’t worth planning out and makes it very difficult looking for a future. It has affected the household income for families because of the newly costed health affairs. It affects you wanting to deal with society and even to the point of just staying home is better. It has affected how people view the disease some believing that it is contagious and not wanting
This assignment will explain the pathophysiology of the disease process chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It will examine how this disease affects an individual looking at the biological, psychological and social aspects. It will accomplish this by referring to a patient who was admitted to a medical ward with an exacerbation of COPD. Furthermore with assistance of Gibbs model of reflection (as cited in Bulman & Schutz, 2004) it will demonstrate how an experience altered an attitude. In accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, (NMC) Code of Professional Conduct (NMC, 2005) regarding safeguarding patient information no names or places will be divulged. Therefore throughout the assignment the patient will be referred to
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
The major goals of treatment are to ease the symptoms, to slowdown disease progression, and to improve the quality life of the patients. Patients with mild to moderate COPD can be adequately managed in the primary care setting by the family physician, whereas patients with more severe COPD and multiple comorbidities need a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Family physicians should perform spirometry on all patients over 40 years old for early diagnosis, especially if one falls into to the risk group and have history of smoking, chronic cough, shortness of breath, and even frequency of cold (Eeden & Burns, 2008). Smoking cessation remains the single most important factor in slowing the decline in lung function in patients with COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recommended for the patients with moderate and severe COPD.
Have you ever known a person who smokes and has a hard time doing every day activities, due to difficulty of breath, or constantly coughing. He or she may have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD. COPD is a progressive and treatable lung disease that causes shortness of breath due to obstruction of air way (COPD, 2013). Progressive means that is gradually gets worse over time. It is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema (Causes,2014). Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchioles, which causes mucus build up (Davis,2016). Emphysema is when the air sacs get enlarged (Smoking, 2016). Since the disease does not have a cure yet it is important to know pathology (path of disease), epidemiology (who is effected in a population), ethology (who is effected genetically), manifestation (symptoms), treatment, and outcome.
The study included 100 patients with COPD. All patients fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to its demographic and clinical parameters and treatment groups differ among themselves. Completed the study, all patients included in the study. The therapy in all patients with a clinically meaningful improvement of symptoms was observed.
The topic is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It is an umbrella term used for respiratory disorders such as chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is a serious condition that restricts airflow to the lungs and is not fully reversible. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia. More than 1 in 20 Australians over 55 have COPD and is also the fifth leading cause of death. There is also a rate of 1,008 per 100,000 of the population aged 55 and over being hospitalized for the condition. The rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders compared with non-indigenous Australians are 2.5 times as high (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016). There is no cure however; the management can slow the disease progression and is therefore crucial to the quality of life of patients.
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.).
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.
COPD is one of the many preventable diseases that health care providers deal with. Nurses needs to familiarize themselves with this disease process and how it affects the body, preventative methods, and treatment plans, so that they can be well informed when it comes to patient education. Education is a big part of nursing and considering COPD is the third leading cause of death, nurses will be in frequent contact with
I will analyse the prevalence of the condition and what the potential causes may be. My interests have been directed to pre hospital care and community lead treatment packages, which are potentially available to the patient, as this is the acute environment, which I will have contact with in my employment as a paramedic. The initial reading was to understand COPD as a chronic condition, what is COPD? and its prevalence in the population. The (World health organisation, 2000), states that one in four deaths in the world are caused by COPD. In 2010 (Vos T Flaxman etal, 2012), says globally there were approximately 329 million, which is 4.8% of the population who are affected by this chronic condition, In the UK (NICE, 2010), have estimated that 3 million people suffer from COPD, with more yet to be diagnosed. This information about the amount of people living with this condition was surprising, as I little knowledge of its existence. During the early 1960’s (Timothy Q. Howes, 2005), says the term COPD had been designated as a single term unifying all the chronic respiratory diseases. Since then the term COPD, has been sub divided in to three umbrella areas, Bronchitis, Emphysema and Chronic asthma, which are separate conditions, which I have been previously aware of as their individual conditions. The 58 year old patient who we visited,
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).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, is a collection of lung conditions or diseases that, all together, block the flow of air into the lungs. This condition makes it hard for the patient have dyspnea, anoxia, or eventually apnea. COPD usually starts off small and gradually gets worse and worse over time, hints chronic in its name. Because it starts off small there are many people who have this disease but do not know it until it is further along and worse. This disease is very common for both smokers and nonsmokers and is a bigger threat to our health than most people think. < Victor >< MacGill >