Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents significant challenges to a person's ability to carry out functional tasks and participate in social networks. Such factors are widely recognized as contributing to a person's sense of self identity, health and well-being. (Kerr, A, and C Ballinger 2010) Although there is no cure, the symptoms of COPD can be managed and damage to your lungs can be slowed down.

If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to help your lungs. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the airways and tissues of the lungs gradually become damaged over time, causing increasing shortness of breath. Eventually some people with this condition become so short of breath that they are seriously disabled and unable to carry our even the simple daily activities. COPD is twice as common in men as women and is almost always caused by smoking.People with COPD usually have three separate lung conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma and emphysema, however either one may be dominant (Harris, Nagy and Vardaxis, 2010) • Symptoms: After smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day for more than twenty years, patients with COPD can develop a chronic cough, shortness of breath, and frequent respiratory tract infections.

• When COPD is in advanced stages patients may develop cyanosis due to a lack of oxygen in blood and morning headaches due to an inability to remove carbon dioxide from the blood.Some patients suffer weight loss due to the use of additional energy that is required to breathe. In advanced COPD, small blood vessels in the lungs are destroyed, and as a result, the heart must pump with increased force and pressure to get blood to flow through the lungs. If the heart cannot cope with the additional work, failure of the right heart results and leads to swelling of the feet and ankles.

Patients may cough up blood which is due to damage to the inner lining of the airways and the airways' blood vessels; however, occasionally, hemoptysis may signal the development of lung cancer. Harris, Nagy and Vardaxis, 2010) COPD usually is first diagnosed through medical history which discloses many of the symptoms of COPD and a physical examination which discloses signs of COPD. Other tests include chest X-ray, computerized tomography (CAT or CT scan) of the chest, tests of lung function (pulmonary function tests) and the measurement of carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the blood. (Kerr and Ballinger, 2010) COPD is first diagnosed following the development of respiratory illness necessitating hospitalization.COPD is suspected in all chronic smokers because often they will only develop symptoms after significant lung damage occurs.

(Kerr and Ballinger, 2010) The most commonly used test is spirometry, a test which detects the extent of airway obstruction. The process involves the patient taking a full breath and then exhaling fast and forcefully into a tube connected to a machine that measures the volume of air forced out of the lungs. Samples of blood samples obtained from an artery can also be used to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels but this requires inserting a needle into an artery.A less invasive method to measure oxygen levels in the blood is called pulse oximetry.

Pulse oximetry works on the principle that the amount of redness of haemoglobin (the protein in blood that carries oxygen) is in proportionate to the amount of oxygen. The more oxygen there is in blood, the redder the appearance of the blood. A probe (oximeter) is placed around a fingertip and on one side of the finger the probe shines a light. Some of the light is transmitted through the fingertip, and this light is measured on the opposite side of the finger by the probe.

The varying degree of redness of the blood within the fingertip (that is, the amount of oxygen in the blood) determines the different shades of red which are transmitted through the fingertip. By measuring these differences in the red light, it is possible to determine the amount of oxygen in the blood. (Kerr and Ballinger, 2010) Another very effective test used to monitor COPD is called the six minute walking test. The patient is required to walk on a flat surface at a pace which suits them for a period of six minutes.

The patient is kept informed about the completion time remaining, but no encouragement is offered.The patient is permitted to stop and rest at any time during the study. The distance which the patient has travelled is measured and is a very accurate index of the state of health and effectiveness of therapy. (Kerr and Ballinger, 2010) HOW IS IT TREATED? The goals of COPD treatment are: 1. to prevent further deterioration in lung function; 2.

to alleviate symptoms; 3. To improve performance of daily activities and quality of life. The treatment strategies include: 1. quitting cigarette smoking; 2.

taking medications to dilate airways (bronchodilators) and decrease airway inflammation; 3. vaccination against flu influenza and pneumonia; . regular oxygen supplementation; and 5. Pulmonary rehabilitation. Quitting cigarette smoking: The most effective and important treatment for COPD is to quit cigarette smoking.

Patients who continue to smoke will have rapid deterioration in lung function in comparison to those who quit. The aging process itself can cause a very slow decline in lung function. Cigarette smoking can result in a much more dramatic loss of lung function in those who are considered to be susceptible. It is important to note that when one stops smoking the decline in lung function eventually reverts to that of a non-smoker.