Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( Copd )

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,

R.W. appears with progressive difficulty getting his breath while doing simple tasks, and also having difficulty doing any manual work, complains of a cough, fatigue, and weight loss, and has been treated for three respiratory infections a year for the past 3 years. On physical examination, CNP notice clubbing of his fingers, use accessory muscles for respiration, wheezing in the lungs, and hyperresonance on percussion of the lungs, and also pulmonary function studies show an FEV1 of 58%. These all symptoms and history represented here most strongly indicate the probability of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a respiratory disease categorized by chronic airway inflammation, a decrease in lung function over time, and gradual damage in quality of life (Booker, 2014).

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 >

As you already know, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), manifests itself when the passageway of air to the lungs is severely obstructed, thus preventing sufficient flow of oxygen into the bloodstream.1 The pathophysiology of COPD is a complex process that is the result of multiple airway diseases that simultaneously contribute to the impairment of airflow in the lungs.1 Specifically, the overlapping outcome of chronic bronchitis and emphysema is the pathogenesis of COPD.1 The risk factor for the COPD is influenced by the individual’s genetics, age, gender, exposure to air pollution, socioeconomic status, and the use of tobacco products.1 The use of tobacco products can increase the development of COPD.1 However, individuals that don’t smoke can also attain COPD.1 Therefore, COPD is not exclusive to individuals that smoke on a daily basis.1 In fact, genetics and the natural aging process plays a part in the development of pulmonary issues.1 For example, it has been proven that a deficiency in the alpha -1 antitrypsin gene is correlated with the development of COPD.1 The natural deterioration of lung tissue, coupled with the long term exposure to environmental elements, explains why the risk of attaining COPD increases as one progresses to the latter stages of their lives.1 In a healthy individual, goblet cells secrete about one liter of mucous that provides a moist surface over the lungs, trachea, and esophagus.1 The cilia on the pseuodocolumnar epithelial cells continuously sweep the mucus in the lungs in an upward motion.1 The cilia sweeps the mucosal trapped debris up, and removes pathogens and other foreign particles out the pulmonary tissue.1 In individuals with COPD, the pathogenesis of the disease creates structural modifications of the lung tissue, which result in deformed and nonfunctioning cilia.2 The lack of functioning cilia leads to the buildup of mucous, pathogens, and subsequent respiratory infections.2 Furthermore, the body tries to combat

COPD, however, is an adult disease whose leading cause is long-term cigarette smoking. Airway inflammation with lymphocytes, neutrophils, and macrophages is common in COPD (2), and remodeling of airways commonly occurs. While airway obstruction in asthma is usually reversible, there can be a fixed obstructive component, and in COPD, where there is usually a significant fixed obstructive component, there can be partial reversibility in airway obstruction (2). There are patients who present with an overlap syndrome with mixed features of COPD/asthma (2). COPD is also potentially preventable, if one avoids cigarette smoking, which often times is the primary cause. The most common recognized forms of COPD are chronic bronchitis, seen as bouts of coughing and severe

Other causes of COPD are second hand smoking (smoke in the air from other people smoking), air pollution, or chemical exhausts, or contaminated dust from the environment. Also, if you have a genetic condition of low level of alpha-1 antitrypsin which is a protein made in the liver (AAT) the deficiency can result in a lung impairment and COPD if you are exposed to smoke or other lungs irritation. At the same time if you have this condition and smoke it can worsen you COPD quickly.

Causes of COPD are, but are not limited to, tobacco smoke, occupational working exposure, outdoor and indoor pollutants, genetic factors and early life environmental factors. This disease has become the third leading cause of death in the United States of America. The only proven way to slow the progression is to QUIT smoking. Some studies have shown that giving a bronchodilator has reversed some lung function which benefits the patient. Symptoms of COPD include, but are not limited to, dyspnea upon exertion, chronic cough with or without phlegm, fatigue and weight loss. Some common characteristics of COPD are exacerbations and episodes of acute worsening. Exacerbations are commonly caused by viral and/or bacterial infections and pollution. Multimodal treatments are used and include

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is one of the most common lung diseases. Thousands of people are diagnosed every year, and it recently moved up to the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., behind heart disease and cancer. This paper will discuss disease pathology, the most common and recently discovered diagnostic tests, as well as treatment options. It will also address end of life care.

Intervention for COPD is focused on managing underlying conditions. The goal is to improve airway function. Some strategies include using antibiotics to treat infection, diuretics which reduce pressure on the heart and lungs, some bronchodilators to help expanding the airways, as well as corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, and last in severe cases use of mechanical ventilation can be efficient and effective to keep oxygenation in an optimal level

Smoking and secondhand smoke, fumes and chemicals, and genetic factors may be primary causes for COPD, but illnesses like bronchitis and emphysema are also key factors of the disease. These two illnesses are just other words some people use to describe COPD. According to Garell, chronic bronchitis and emphysema are known as COPD (67). Another fact stated is that “heredity is known to play some role in the department of this” (Garell 67). COPD is rarely caused by genetics, but should still be looked for. The

Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for COPD, but there are medications that are available to help the symptoms and make it easier for the person to breathe. Bronchodilators are a type of medication that will help open the airways to get better airflow. Short acting bronchodilators are used in emergency situations for rapid relief. Some short acting bronchodilators are Albuterol, levalbuterol (Xopenex), and Ipratropium (Atrovent). They can come in an inhaler or in a liquid that can be inhaled from a nebulizer. There are some side effects to the short acting bronchodilators including dry mouth, blurred vision, tremors, tachycardia, or a cough. Long acting bronchodilators help treat the symptoms of COPD over a longer period of time, so it may take longer to see results. Patients can use long acting bronchodilators once or twice a day depended on how bad the symptoms are, which also comes in inhalers or a liquid that can be put in a nebulizer. Some examples of the medication are Tiotropium (Spiriva), Salmeterol (Serevent, Formoterol (Foradil, Perforomist), Arformoterol (Brovana), Indacaterol (Arcapta), Aclidinium (Tudorza). (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Over time these medications will help if the person takes them continually. Long acting Bronchodilators are not used as emergency or rescue medication. Some of the side effects of these medications are dry mouth, dizziness, tremors, runny nose, an irritated or scratchy throat, allergic reactions, blurred vision, and

Although not curable, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a familiar, treatable, but avoidable disease that is still a huge health problem in the United States. According to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, “COPD is the fourth leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality in the United States and is projected to rank fifth in 2020 as a worldwide problem according to a study published by the World Bank/World Health Organization.”1 Mortality from COPD is also expected to increase despite medical advances in the treatment of the disease.

phrase used to describe respiratory diseases characterized by airway obstruction. COPD is now a well-known and serious chronic disease, killing many and affecting a mass number of people per year. COPD is a result in restricted (obstructed) airflow in the lungs. Obstructive diseases include bronchitis, in which inflammation causes chronic bronchial secretions and narrowing of the bronchi and emphysema a permanent destructive enlargement of the airspaces within the lung.

The pharmacologic treatment of COPD includes bronchodilators. Medication such Albuterol, levalbuterol, and ipratropium, are bronchodilator that comes in inhalant or liquid form that you add in to nebulizer. These medications relax the muscles around your airways. Anti-inflammatories are also used to help reduce the swelling and mucus production inside the airways. “Drugs used to treat asthma and COPD include drugs to block inflammation and drugs to dilate bronchi”(Karch, 2013, p. 941). Oxygen therapy is use as additional therapy for COPD patients. Managing the exacerbations includes treatment such as antibiotic, because bacterial or viral infection can cause exacerbation. Flu and Pneumococcal vaccination is also recommended to COPD

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.