Michael Emory
NUR101/ MTCC PNE 2014
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common
lung diseases. It makes it difficult to breathe. There are two main forms of
COPD: Chronic bronchitis, which involves a long-term cough with mucus, and
Emphysema, which leads to the destruction of the lungs over time. Most people
with COPD have a combination of both conditions.
Smoking is the
leading cause of COPD. The more a person smokes, the more likely that person
will develop COPD. However, some people smoke for years and never get COPD. In
rare cases, nonsmokers who lack a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin can
develop emphysema. (Hanania). Other risk factors for COPD are; Exposure to certain
gases or fumes in the workplace, Exposure to heavy amounts of secondhand smoke,
pollution, and frequent use of cooking fire without proper ventilation.
(Hanania).
The most common
symptoms are cough, with or without mucus, fatigue, respiratory infection,
shortness of breath that gets worse with mild activity, trouble catching one's breath
and wheezing. Because the symptoms of COPD develop slowly, some people may not
know that they are sick.
The best test for
COPD is a lung function test called spirometry. This involves blowing out as hard
as possible into a small machine that tests lung capacity. The results can be
checked right away, and the test does not involve exercising, drawing blood, or
exposure to radiation. (Hanania) Using a stethoscope to listen to the lungs can
also be helpful. However, sometimes the lungs sound normal even when COPD is
present. Pictures of the lungs (such as x-rays and CT scans) can be helpful,
but they also sometimes look normal even when a person has COPD. Sometimes
patients need to have a blood test to measure the amounts of oxygen and carbon
dioxide in the blood to determine if there is adequate gas exchange. (Hanna).
There is no cure
for COPD. However, there are many things you can do to relieve symptoms and
keep the disease from getting worse. Persons with COPD must stop smoking. This
is the best way to slow down the lung damage.
Medications used
to treat COPD include: Inhalers (bronchodilators) to open the airways, such as ipratropium (Atrovent), tiotropium (Spiriva),
salmeterol (Serevent), formoterol (Foradil), or albuterol, Inhaled steroids to
reduce lung inflammation, Anti-inflammatory medications such as montelukast
(Singulair) and roflimulast are sometimes used. (Hanania) In severe cases or
during flare-ups, you may need to receive: Steroids by mouth or through a vein
(intravenously), Bronchodilators through a nebulizer, Oxygen therapy assistance
during breathing from a machine, using a mask, BiPAP, or endotracheal tube. (Hanania)
Antibiotics are prescribed during symptom flare-ups, because infections can
make COPD worse.(Hanania) You may need oxygen therapy at home if you have a low
level of oxygen in your blood. Pulmonary rehabilitation does not cure the lung
disease, but it can teach you to breathe in a different way so you can stay
active. Exercise can help maintain muscle strength in the legs. Walk to build
up strength and slowly increase how far you walk. Try not to talk when you walk
if you get short of breath. Use pursed lip breathing when breathing out to
empty your lungs before the next breath.
Things you can do
to make it easier for yourself around the home include: Avoiding very cold air,
Making sure no one smokes in your home, Reducing air pollution by getting rid
of fireplace smoke and other irritants. Eat a healthy diet with fish, poultry,
or lean meat, as well as fruits and vegetables. If it is hard to keep your
weight up, talk to a doctor or dietitian about eating foods with more calories.
People often can help ease the stress of illness so perhaps joining a support
group in which members share common experiences and problems might be helpful.
Surgery may be
used, but only a few patients benefit from these surgical treatments. Surgery
to remove parts of the diseased lung can help other areas (not as diseased)
work better in some patients with emphysema and lung transplant for severe
cases.
COPD is a
long-term (chronic) illness. The disease will get worse more quickly if you do
not stop smoking Patients with severe COPD will be short of breath with most
activities and will be admitted to the hospital more often. These patients
should talk with their doctor about breathing machines and end-of-life care.
References
(MUST READ: HOW I GOT CURED FROM EMPHYSEMA)
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed of Emphysema in February 2015, my doctor told me it has no permanent cure, i was given medication to ease the situation, this affected me so badly as i constantly go short of breath, this continued till a friend of mine Anna Madsen told me about Dr Ejiro from South Africa who cured her mother from emphysema, I contacted this herbal doctor and he sent me the herbal medicine through courier service, when i received it i applied it for 3 weeks as prescribed and was totally cured of emphysema within 18-20 days of usage. Contact this herbal doctor via his email ejiroherbalcure@gmail.com or call +27617403481
After having a persistent cough for over a year, I was diagnosed with COPD
Deletein March 2015. In 2016 my COPD got worse to the point where not only do I
have trouble sleeping at night, I also struggle to get air into my lungs. I
read in a health forum of a herbal centre (native health clinic) who have successful treatment to COPD/Emphysema, i immediately
contacted the herbal centre via their website and purchased the COPD herbal
remedy, I used the remedy for 2 weeks, all my symptoms were reversed, i did
another test for confirmation, i was declared COPD free. email (
nativehealthclinic@gmail.com) or WhatsApp/Call him on +2348140073965
After having a persistent cough for over a year, I was diagnosed with COPD in March 2015. In 2016 my COPD got worse to the point where not only do I have trouble sleeping at night, I also struggle to get air into my lungs. I read in a health forum of a herbal clinic (NewLife Herbal Clinic) who have successful treatment to COPD/Emphysema, i immediately contacted the herbal clinic via their website and purchased the COPD herbal remedy, I used the remedy for 7 weeks, all my symptoms were reversed, i did another test for confirmation, i was declared COPD free. Visit (www. newlifeherbalclinic. weebly. com) or email (newlifeherbalclinic @ gmail. com)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure of the cause of COPD emphysema in my case. I smoked pack a day for 12 or 13 years, but quit 40 years ago. I have been an outdoor person all my adult life. Coughing started last summer producing thick mucus, greenish tint to clear. I tried prednisone and antibiotics, but no change. X-rays are negative, heart lungs and blood and serum chemistries all are normal. I have lung calcification from childhood bout with histoplasmosis. I am 75 years old and retired.My current doctor directed me to totalcureherbsfoundation com which I purchase the COPD herbal remedies from them ,they are located in Johannesburg, the herbal treatment has effectively reduce all my symptoms totally, am waiting to complete the 15 weeks usage because they guaranteed me total cure.
ReplyDeleteI'm 59 years old and female. I was diagnosed a couple of years ago with COPD and I was beyond scared! My lung function test indicated 49% capacity. After having had flu a year ago, the shortness of breath, coughing and chest pains continued even after being treated with antibiotics. I've been smoking two packs a day for 36 years. Being born without a sternum caused my ribs to be curled in just one inch away from my spine, resulting to underdeveloped lungs. At age 34 I had surgery and it was fixed. Unfortunately my smoking just caused more damage to my already under developed lungs. The problem was having is that I enjoy smoking and don't want to give up! Have tried twice before and nearly went crazy and don't want to go through that again. I saw the fear in my husband and children's eyes when I told them about my condition then they start to find solution on their own to help my condition.I am an 59 now who was diagnose COPD emphysema which I know was from my years of smoking. I started smoking in school when smoking was socially acceptable. I remember when smoking was permitted in hospitals. It was not known then how dangerous cigarettes were for us, and it seemed everybody smoked but i was able to get rid of my COPD lung condition through the help of total cure herbal foundation my husband bought, totalcureherbsfoundation.com has the right herbal formula to help you get rid and repair any lung conditions and cure you totally with their natural organic herbs,it class products at affordable prices because how awful it is with this lung dictions . I wish anybody who starts smoking at a young age would realize what will eventually happen to their bodies if they continue that vile habit throughout their life, certainly total cure herbs is the formula to get over Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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