Essay On Copd

| 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

Dyspnea, the most common symptom of COPD, comes on gradually and is first noticed during physical exertion or during acute exacerbations

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

D.Z.is a 65-year-old man admitted to medical ward with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; emphysema). Past medical history (PMH) indicates hypertension (HTN), well managed with enalapril (Vasotec) past six years, diagnosis (Dx) of pneumonia yearly for the past three years. D.Z. appears cachectic with difficulty breathing at rest. Patient reports productive cough with thick yellow-green sputum. He seems anxious and irritable during subjective data collection. He states, he has been a 2-pack-a-day smoker for 38 years. He complains of (c/o) insomnia and

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.

Shortness of breath and wheezing are classical signs of COPD. The first part of the essay is discussed on pathophysiology of COPD. Another part is going to be informing on the pharmacology aspect of treating the disease. Nutrition also plays as a critical component of relieving the symptoms of the disease or aiding the work of medication. One of the signs that COPD can be established as a primary cause of illness is by receiving lab report on Arterial Blood Gases ABG.

The requirement for oxygen is found by measuring the measure of oxygen in your circulatory system. In the event that your oxygen level is underneath a basic level very still, then you require oxygen near 24 hours a day. A few people with COPD needn 't bother with oxygen when they are latent, for example, when sitting, yet require oxygen when working out, for example, strolling, or with eating and/or resting. Shortness of breath is not a solid method for figuring out whether you require oxygen. Some of the time, you can be shy of breath and not require oxygen; different times your breathing may feel OK, yet you are not getting enough oxygen. Oxygen is not given to treat shortness of breath. Albeit a few patients feel some alleviation in

No information is given to determine previous medical history, so all possible causes can be taken into consideration related to F.T’s shortness of breath. A history of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease could contribute to this acute episode of shortness of breath, and warrants further assessment due to the risk of Cor Pulmonale associated with COPD. The indication of his increased use of an albuterol inhaler also leads me to believe that he has a previous pulmonary complication, which could be likely be COPD, or possibly Asthma as the medication is

He or she will also look at the results of spirometry, lung volume and diffusing capacity tests, which can indicate the presence and severity of COPD as well as help determine the prognosis” (COPD, 2015). A chest X-ray might show an increased air volume in the lungs and an enlargement of the central pulmonary artery, which connects the heart’s right ventricle to the lungs. Also, changes are occasionally visible as abnormalities in the electrical activity of the heart, measured with an ECG. (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2013).

One of the most common forms of COPD is emphysema. A major sign of emphysema is a feeling that the patient cannot take a deep breath. This is because alveoli, which are small sacs in the lungs that hold air, decompose and form larger sacs. This causes the sacs to become less flexible

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 has been considered primarily as a respiratory disease however the importance of extrapulmonary manifestations has not been acknowledged until recenty.64 Epidemiological studies and large clinical trials have helped us to understand the importance of co-morbidities.65 Pathophysiology of COPD focussed on the concept of systemic inflammation, has helped us to explain the higher frequency of major co-morbidities such as metabolic, cardiovascular, skeletal and nutritional disorders that would be seen in these patients in addition to the co-existing conditions that one would naturally expect in elderly patients.

The second nursing concern is impaired gas exchange for patient with COPD, this may be related to; alter oxygen supply, alveoli destruction and alveolar capillary membrane changes. The nursing intervention of this would be, to elevate the head of the bed up to help the patient breathe easier, to assess the skin and the membrane for color changes and to encourage the patient to cough to help clear secretion, as well as, to monitor the level of consciousness and mental status. The expected outcomes would be that the patient shows improvement of ventilation and oxygenation of their tissues and by assessing the ABGs and to be free of respiratory distress (Vera, 2013).

Ineffective breathing pattern related to decreased oxygen saturation, poor tissue perfusion, obesity, decreased air entry to bases of both lungs, gout and arthritic pain, decreased cardiac output, disease process of COPD, and stress as evidenced by shortness of breath, BMI > 30 abnormal breathing patterns (rapid, shallow breathing), abnormal skin colour (slightly purplish), excessive diaphoresis, nasal flaring and use of accessory muscles, statement of joint pain, oxygen saturations of 85-95% 2L NP, immobility 95% of the day, and adventitious sounds throughout lungs (crackles) secondary to CHF, hypertension, pain caused by gout and arthritis, and obesity

their air, leaving some air in the lungs at the end of exhalation. We refer to this as