Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a term that covers several conditions. All of the conditions consist of blockage of air to and from the lungs and cause difficulty breathing. Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and some types of asthma are the disease which fall under the COPD category. Figures from the World Health Organization say up to 50- 60 million people are diagnosed worldwide with COPD. This number is actually very low because a substantial number got undiagnosed. For example 50% of people with COPD in the United States do not realize they have the disease and continue to live with it. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Many people just consider it to be a part of getting old because the symptoms
…show more content…
When many of the airs sacs are destroyed, there is less area for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide than if there were many healthy air sacs. With the poor exchange of air, the patient experiences shortness of breath. While chronic bronchitis consist of spells of increased cough and sputum production. Chronic bronchitis is only characterized as a subcategory of COPD when the episodes are two to three per year.
Some of the main causes of COPD are long term exposure to airborne irritants. Tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke, air pollutants, chemical fumes and dust can all cause the disease. The longer a person smokes, they increase their chance of developing the disease plus the heavier the smoker this will also increase their chances of disease …show more content…
If the patient stops smoking and starts exercising, the progression will slow. If they continue their lifestyle prior to diagnosis it could rapidly increase. An otherwise healthy 65-year-old men with Stage I COPD, life expectancy ranges from 14 to 18 years, depending on whether the person was a current, former, or never smoker. For otherwise healthy 65-year-old women with Stage I COPD, life expectancy ranges from 17.2 to 20.5 years.
The first step after being diagnosed with COPD is to stop smoking and eliminate anything contributing to the disease. The next is to find the right kind of medication. Bronchodilators, an inhaler, relax the muscles around the airway to allow for easier breathing. These come in fast acting and longer term inhalers. Inhaled steroids reduce inflammation and help prevent exacerbations. Oxygen therapy is the most common, it supplies oxygen during activities or sleeping or all the time depending on the stage of the
When many of the airs sacs are destroyed, there is less area for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide than if there were many healthy air sacs. With the poor exchange of air, the patient experiences shortness of breath. While chronic bronchitis consist of spells of increased cough and sputum production. Chronic bronchitis is only characterized as a subcategory of COPD when the episodes are two to three per year.
Some of the main causes of COPD are long term exposure to airborne irritants. Tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke, air pollutants, chemical fumes and dust can all cause the disease. The longer a person smokes, they increase their chance of developing the disease plus the heavier the smoker this will also increase their chances of disease …show more content…
If the patient stops smoking and starts exercising, the progression will slow. If they continue their lifestyle prior to diagnosis it could rapidly increase. An otherwise healthy 65-year-old men with Stage I COPD, life expectancy ranges from 14 to 18 years, depending on whether the person was a current, former, or never smoker. For otherwise healthy 65-year-old women with Stage I COPD, life expectancy ranges from 17.2 to 20.5 years.
The first step after being diagnosed with COPD is to stop smoking and eliminate anything contributing to the disease. The next is to find the right kind of medication. Bronchodilators, an inhaler, relax the muscles around the airway to allow for easier breathing. These come in fast acting and longer term inhalers. Inhaled steroids reduce inflammation and help prevent exacerbations. Oxygen therapy is the most common, it supplies oxygen during activities or sleeping or all the time depending on the stage of the