Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
What is it?
The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic lung disease that reduces the capacity for respiration. Most people with this disease have characteristics of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema of the lungs. In these cases, the disease called COPD. When we use the term COPD in a general way, we are referring to all chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases most common chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma and bronchiectasis. However, in most cases when we speak in COPD itself, we refer to chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Chronic bronchitis is present when a person has a productive cough (with phlegm) on most days for at least three months a year in two consecutive years. But other causes of chronic cough, such as respiratory infections and tumors, must be deleted before the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis is signed.
Pulmonary emphysema is present when many alveoli in the lungs are destroyed and the rest remain with their operation changed. The lungs are composed of countless alveoli, which are tiny air sacs where oxygen enters and exits the carbon dioxide.
In COPD there is an obstruction to air flow which occurs in most cases due to smoking in a long time. This limitation in airflow is not fully reversible and usually progresses over the years.
How to develop?
The COPD develops after several years of smoking or exposure to dust (about 30 years), leading to damage in all airways, including the lungs. This damage may be permanent. The smoke contains irritants that inflame the airways and cause changes that can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
What does it feel?
Typical symptoms of COPD are cough, sputum production and shortness of breath. Some people develop a gradual limitation of exercise, but the cough appears only occasionally. Others, usually have a cough with sputum (phlegm) during the day, especially in the morning, and has ease of respiratory infections. In this case, worsening cough, sputum (phlegm) becomes greenish or yellowish, and breathlessness may get worse, appearing sometimes wheezing (wheezing). As the years pass and the person follows smoking, lack of air evolves. You can start up with minimal activities such as dressing or combing, for example. Some people with severe COPD may present a weakness in the functioning of the heart, with the appearance of swelling in the feet and legs.
How does the doctor make the diagnosis?
The doctor makes the diagnosis based on abnormal findings on physical examination, coupled with changes reported by the patient and his long exposure to smoke. The doctor may also request imaging or pulmonary function, and blood tests. All of these additional tests will confirm the diagnosis of COPD. Imaging tests such as radiography or computed tomography show characteristic changes of the disease. Spirometry, which is an examination that demonstrates how lung function is usually demonstrated by the decrease in airflow. In this review, the person pulls back and breathe the air in a device that will measure the flows and lung volumes. Another important test is the arterial blood gas analysis, in which blood is drawn from an artery of the patient and it is measured the amount of oxygen. In people with COPD, oxygen is often decreased.
How is it?
The first thing to do is stop smoking. In people with much difficulty to quit smoking medications can be used to reduce symptoms caused by this withdrawal. Bronchodilators are drugs for the treatment very important. Can be used in several ways: through nebulizers, nebulmetros (sprays or "bombs"), Turbuhaler (a type of "puffer" that inhaling a dry powder), rotadisks (a "puffer" to format a disk that is inhaled dry powder), tablets, syrups or capsules inhaling. Doctors usually indicate these drugs through nebulmetros, Turbuhaler, capsules or inhaled sprays, because they effect more quickly and effectively, and of computing fewer side effects.
However, corticosteroids can also be useful in the treatment of some patients with COPD. The use of home oxygen therapy may also be necessary in the treatment of people with COPD, improving quality and extending the life of the patient. In addition, pulmonary rehabilitation through guidelines and exercises may also be prescribed by the physician in order to decrease the symptoms of disease, disability and limitations of the individual, making your day to day life easier.
We must remember the importance of vaccination against influenza (annually) and pneumonia, which usually is done only once.
How is it prevented?
Avoiding smoking is the only way to prevent the disease. The nicotine replacement therapy or the use of a drug called bupropion may assist in this regard.
Questions you can ask your doctor
Its doctors predict the cases of smokers who will develop for such a disease?
What are the main differences between COPD and asthma?
What's new about the treatment of COPD?
Which patients should make pulmonary rehabilitation as an aid in treatment?
The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic lung disease that reduces the capacity for respiration. Most people with this disease have characteristics of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema of the lungs. In these cases, the disease called COPD. When we use the term COPD in a general way, we are referring to all chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases most common chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma and bronchiectasis. However, in most cases when we speak in COPD itself, we refer to chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Chronic bronchitis is present when a person has a productive cough (with phlegm) on most days for at least three months a year in two consecutive years. But other causes of chronic cough, such as respiratory infections and tumors, must be deleted before the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis is signed.
Pulmonary emphysema is present when many alveoli in the lungs are destroyed and the rest remain with their operation changed. The lungs are composed of countless alveoli, which are tiny air sacs where oxygen enters and exits the carbon dioxide.
In COPD there is an obstruction to air flow which occurs in most cases due to smoking in a long time. This limitation in airflow is not fully reversible and usually progresses over the years.
How to develop?
The COPD develops after several years of smoking or exposure to dust (about 30 years), leading to damage in all airways, including the lungs. This damage may be permanent. The smoke contains irritants that inflame the airways and cause changes that can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
What does it feel?
Typical symptoms of COPD are cough, sputum production and shortness of breath. Some people develop a gradual limitation of exercise, but the cough appears only occasionally. Others, usually have a cough with sputum (phlegm) during the day, especially in the morning, and has ease of respiratory infections. In this case, worsening cough, sputum (phlegm) becomes greenish or yellowish, and breathlessness may get worse, appearing sometimes wheezing (wheezing). As the years pass and the person follows smoking, lack of air evolves. You can start up with minimal activities such as dressing or combing, for example. Some people with severe COPD may present a weakness in the functioning of the heart, with the appearance of swelling in the feet and legs.
How does the doctor make the diagnosis?
The doctor makes the diagnosis based on abnormal findings on physical examination, coupled with changes reported by the patient and his long exposure to smoke. The doctor may also request imaging or pulmonary function, and blood tests. All of these additional tests will confirm the diagnosis of COPD. Imaging tests such as radiography or computed tomography show characteristic changes of the disease. Spirometry, which is an examination that demonstrates how lung function is usually demonstrated by the decrease in airflow. In this review, the person pulls back and breathe the air in a device that will measure the flows and lung volumes. Another important test is the arterial blood gas analysis, in which blood is drawn from an artery of the patient and it is measured the amount of oxygen. In people with COPD, oxygen is often decreased.
How is it?
The first thing to do is stop smoking. In people with much difficulty to quit smoking medications can be used to reduce symptoms caused by this withdrawal. Bronchodilators are drugs for the treatment very important. Can be used in several ways: through nebulizers, nebulmetros (sprays or "bombs"), Turbuhaler (a type of "puffer" that inhaling a dry powder), rotadisks (a "puffer" to format a disk that is inhaled dry powder), tablets, syrups or capsules inhaling. Doctors usually indicate these drugs through nebulmetros, Turbuhaler, capsules or inhaled sprays, because they effect more quickly and effectively, and of computing fewer side effects.
However, corticosteroids can also be useful in the treatment of some patients with COPD. The use of home oxygen therapy may also be necessary in the treatment of people with COPD, improving quality and extending the life of the patient. In addition, pulmonary rehabilitation through guidelines and exercises may also be prescribed by the physician in order to decrease the symptoms of disease, disability and limitations of the individual, making your day to day life easier.
We must remember the importance of vaccination against influenza (annually) and pneumonia, which usually is done only once.
How is it prevented?
Avoiding smoking is the only way to prevent the disease. The nicotine replacement therapy or the use of a drug called bupropion may assist in this regard.
Questions you can ask your doctor
Its doctors predict the cases of smokers who will develop for such a disease?
What are the main differences between COPD and asthma?
What's new about the treatment of COPD?
Which patients should make pulmonary rehabilitation as an aid in treatment?
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