Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Symptoms of COPD patients are shortness of breath (SOB) that causes limiting of the patient’s activities and lack of energy, hard cough, massive sputum production, blue lips and fingernails (cyanosis), losing weight, fatigue, swelling in feet (edema), and wheezing. COPD is a disease caused by a long history of smoking cigarettes. COPD patients are more at risk for diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, and other conditions and diseases. The two most common diseases related to COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Tobacco smoking is the main cause of COPD in developed countries because people are close to chemical fumes, dust, and smoke from fuel in poorly ventilated homes. Many …show more content…
There are many different ways to diagnosis COPD such as pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays, CT scans, arterial blood gas analysis to measure the level of oxygen in the blood, laboratory tests, and spirometry. After COPD is diagnosed, there are different ways to apply the treatment for the patients with COPD. The most important step in treatment is that the patient has to stop smoking. The doctor’s orders require the patient to take bronchodilators that disperse the appropriate medication that relaxes the muscle that control the airway. Surgery is an option for some people with severe emphysema who are not helped by the other ways of treatment. Surgical options include lung volume reduction surgery, lung transplant, and bullectomy. In addition to the varieties of treatment, there is oxygen therapy (The Mayo Clinic, 2017). According to PubMed health states that sixteen million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD and 14 million have chronic bronchitis. 2 million people have emphysema. An example of a patient with COPD is a 65-year-old man admitted to the
| This is important because we need to look at the relevant data and realize that she seems to be in distress and first take care of that. Also realize that she seems to have an infection. With this information we are able to prioritize
History of Present Illness: Mr. Magnuson is a very pleasant 77-year-old gentleman who was previously seen in this office by Elvira Aguila, MD for COPD and hypoxic respiratory failure. He is here today for routine followed up. He was last evaluated in January 2015. Since that time, he states that his dyspnea is worse. He feels that it is related to the weather. He does state that he works around the house, although he does have significant functional limitations because of shortness of breath. His wife also confirms that he is able to do less and less. He has a stable, minimal cough. He is using 4L of oxygen at night as well as, as needed throughout the day. He continues to smoke three to four cigarettes on
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
October 2014 had some unusually high temperatures for Southwestern Pennsylvania. While most residents were enjoying the summer like weather, I came to find out that not all were. Extremes in weather can trigger COPD exacerbation. COPD symptoms, such as cough, phlegm production, and shortness of breath, tend to get worse for some patients when the air is very cold or when it is hot and humid. The body is always working to try to maintain a normal body temperature, which is about 98.6 F. When exposed to extreme temperatures, such as during the heat of summer, the body uses extra energy trying to cool itself down in order to maintain normal body temperature. The use of extra energy causes the body to demand more oxygen. People with COPD often
COPD is one of the greatest causes of disability and mortality in the twenty first century with future predictions painting an even graver story. Occupation, genome, and primarily smoking are the main causes of COPD. COPD is the third leading cause of death in America, claiming the lives of 134,676 Americans in 2010. Symptoms are typical of a constant smokers cough which progresses into the debilitating palliative stage of the disease; the development of co-morbidities exacerbates these symptoms. COPD has a complex pathophysiology involving hyperinflation, excessive mucus production and airway remodeling; diagnosis is through lung function tests. COPD is poorly managed with few effective treatments and a poor
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major financial burden to our healthcare system. In 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services started imposing a financial penalty for hospitals with excess rates of COPD readmissions. We investigated the effectiveness of a Discharge Checklist in reducing the rates of 30-day readmission in a cohort of high risk patients admitted with COPD exacerbation.
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.
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
COPD which stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a group of diseases that cause block of airflow, which leads to difficulty in breathing, and these diseases involve chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease.
In order to treat this disease, smokers need to participate in smoking cessation which involves the most important step, to stop smoking. Medications to help treat COPD include bronchodilators, such as inhalers, which relax muscles around the air way. Inhaled steroids can reduce air way inflammation and help prevent exacerbations. Lung therapies include oxygen therapy which will help increase blood oxygen. If severe enough, surgeries such as lung volume reduction surgery, lung transplants, and a bullectomy may be
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.
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.
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.
Patients with COPD become short of breath, hyperventilate and become very tired by using all efforts on respiratory and axillary muscles in order to breath and effects their activity of daily living such as walking up the stairs, putting on socks/shoes. On physical assessment, patient would be observed the appearance of the thoracic cage, for any deformity, an inadequate chest expansion and auscultation for adventitious sounds. Patients with COPD are often diagnosed with emphysema, where alveoli of the lungs damaged and these damaged tiny sacs cannot be seen directly in physical exam. There are diagnostic tests would be necessary to perform such as CT or X-ray scans of the chest. Additional tests would be performed to measure pulmonary function test, arterial blood gases and sputum collection if necessary to determine any bacteria growth in respiratory
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