Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease causing restricted airflow due to inflammation of the airway (bronchus) and breathing difficulty. COPD is a disorder that consist of two different diseases which is emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
COPD is a type of irreversible lung and airway damage that blocks (obstructs) airways and makes it difficult to breathe.
The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoke. COPD is often caused by long-term exposure to irritating smoke, fumes, dust, or chemicals.
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the inner lining of the airway that brings air into the lungs. These tubes are called bronchi. The inflammation causes mucus secretion from mast cells and makes it difficult to airflow (breathing). The small air sacs of the lungs called alveoli are damaged. The damaged alveoli can’t exchange enough oxygen and carbon dioxide into the bloodstream.
Symptoms usually worsen over time if the patient doesn’t quit smoking or other irritating exposure continues.
- Symptoms of COPD may include:
- Breathlessness or dyspnea (difficulty in breathing).
- Trouble catching your breath, especially during physical activities.
- Wheezing or whistling sounds during breathing.
- Chronic cough with a lot of mucus (productive cough). The mucus may be clear, yellow, or greenish.
- Chest tightness or heaviness.
- Feeling tired (feeling lack of energy).
- Frequent lung infections.
- Losing weight may happen as the condition worsens.
- Swelling in ankles, feet, or legs.
- Changes in lungs and airways in COPD include:
- Loss of elasticity in the airways (bronchi) and air sacs in our lungs (alveoli).
- Inflammation, irreversible scarring (fibrosis), and narrowing of your airways.
- Thick mucus production in the inner airways.
- Destruction of alveoli makes air pockets called bulla, which enlarges alveoli and traps air.
Diagnosis of COPD:
Pulmonary function tests – for finding lung condition
- Spirometry
- Lung volume test
- Lung diffusion test
- Chest x-ray of lung
- CT thorax
- Arterial blood gas analysis
Treatment:
- Treatment based on the severity of the disease
- Quit smoking
- Oxygen supplementation
- Bronchodilators like Ipratropium (Atrovent), Levalbuterol (Xopenex), and salbutamol, furmetrol
- Inhaled corticosteroid
- Antibiotics- like azithromycin, Amoxyclav, etc.