What Is COPD?
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an illness that affects the lungs and other structures such as the aveoli, bronchioles and bronchi. With damage and inflammation to these structures, the airway becomes blocked. Resultant illnesses recognized include emphysema or chronic bronchitis. A major symptom of this illness is airway blockage where there is an inability to breathe. The medical term applied is dyspnea or difficulty with breathing.
COPD Causes:
Chronic smoking is the main factor that causes this problem, or the use of tobacco as it is inhaled over a period of time. The prolonged periods of smoking will cause the bronchioles to become inflamed. When the bronchioles and air sacs of the lungs become inflammed, the airway becomes obstructed.
COPD Signs And Symptoms:
Symptoms of COPD are easily recognized. As indicated above, tobacco smoking over a long period of time can cause COPD. Coughing, production of sputum, and shortness of breath are some of the other recognizable symptoms. With advancements of this illness, the patient’s symptoms can lead to respiratory failure. Cyanosis, which is a condition of bluish discoloration in the lips is noted. This condition is caused because of the lack of oxygen. The blood stream is not properly filtering the waste product carbon dioxide. There are other health problems which results. The heart is unable to maintain proper functions which can cause heart failure. These COPD problems require aggressive treatment plans that work.
COPD Treatments And Medications:
Because there is no cure for COPD, medical management provides various treatment options. The affected patient may need agents (used alone or in combination when applied). These agents reduce dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Agents such as corticosteroids assist the patient with advanced COPD. COPD treatment is necessary to increase air flow into the lungs. COPD treatment provides the patient with quality of life that can increase when the meds are used as prescribed. Some medications will diminish symptoms such as nausea. Heart rates will decrease as well.
As indicated, COPD treatments are given, but the illness itself cannot be cured. Symptoms can be eliminated though. When the air sacs of the lungs are inflamed, along with other structures such as the bronchi or bronchioles, the patient tends to experience symptoms such as dyspnea.
COPD treatments and other various therapies provided can get patients to some state of normalcy. Cessation from smoking, along with medication regimens such as the use of bronchodilators to open the airway, or inhaled steroids which reduce inflammation in the airway, or any of these combined agents, will provide an avenue to a near normal lifestyle.
With the severity of COPD, various lung therapies are applied to help increase airflow. There is a need to add oxygen into the blood. The waste product, carbon dioxide, needs to be eliminated from the blood stream. With the advanced stages of this illness, there may be the need for surgery where damaged lung tissue remains. Treatment may also include the need for a lung transplant, but that is only in the most severe cases.
