Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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Megerdichian, Araz 04/29/09 SVN Batch 8 Clinical Instructor: Jocelyn Villa Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it increasingly difficult for you to breathe. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two main conditions that make up COPD, but COPD can also refer to damage caused by chronic asthmatic bronchitis. In all cases, damage to your airways eventually interferes with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs. Most COPD is caused by long-term smoking and can be prevented by not smoking or quitting soon after you start. Damage to your lungs can't be reversed, so treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and…show more content…
In the case of chronic bronchitis, this occurs mainly in smokers. It's defined as a cough that you have at least three months a year for two consecutive years. People who continue to smoke may go on to develop emphysema, but in smokers who are able to quit, the cough may clear in a few days or weeks. Signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis include: having to clear your throat first thing in the morning, especially if you smoke, a chronic cough that produces yellowish sputum, shortness of breath in the later stages, and frequent respiratory infections. Chronic asthmatic bronchitis is usually chronic bronchitis combined with asthma (bronchospasm). Asthma can occur when inflamed and infected secretions irritate the smooth muscles in your airways. Signs and symptoms of chronic asthmatic bronchitis are similar to those of chronic bronchitis, but you're also likely to have intermittent, or even daily, episodes of…show more content…
Treatment There's no cure for COPD, and you can't undo the damage to your lungs. But COPD treatments can control symptoms, reduce your risk of complications and exacerbations, and improve your ability to lead an active life. Quitting smoking might be the best thing a person can do. Medications include: bronchodilators, which relax the muscles around your airways, inhaled steroids that can reduce airway inflammation, and antibiotics for the respiratory infections. Lastly, a lung volume reduction surgery can be done. In this surgery the surgeon removes small wedges of damaged lunch tissue. Some other therapies include: oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation program, and managing exacerbations. Nursing

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