COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a collection of progressiveconditions characterized by a partially reversible limitation of airflow to the system. People often think of COPD as a disease on its own. The characteristic airflow limitation not only worsens over time, but it is also accompanied by an abnormal inflammation of the body’s airways. In other words, airflow during exhalation is obstructed irreversibly and may never resume original state. As a result the air remains trapped in the lungs and further increases breathing difficulties. A part of this lung disease is called emphysema.
Emphysema may be categorized into two types – centrilobular and panlobular emphysema. The former type, also called genetic or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, is a devastating disease even though it is not caused by smoking. The latter is the more common type of emphysema which is caused by smoking. The air sacs in the lungs and the airways are destroyed progressively. This type of emphysema is also characterized by inflammation. The victim is to suffer with irritated and inflamed airways that produce a lot of secretions, and a consequent destruction of air sacs. According to medical surveys, COPD is the fourth most alarming cause of global deaths. Naturally, this is a major burden on the health care system in humans.
What causes COPD? COPD is a major causative factor of the high rates of global morbidity and mortality. One of the most common causative factors of COPD is the health-injurious practice of cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke from pipe, cigars and other sources may cause COPD. Over eighty per cent of the listed COPD patients have been smokers and ninety per cent of COPD-related deaths have been caused due to smoking habits. The growth and development of the lungs in teenagers and young people is slowed down by smoking and this leads to increased risks of developing COPD in later stages of life. Secondhand smoking, or passive smoking, may also lead you to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, over 17% of COPD patients do not have any history of smoking.
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Smoking may be the leading factor causing pulmonary disease, but there are other factors that should also be taken into account. Air pollution, occupational dust, and hazardous air chemicals may also cause COPD. Since this disease takes time to develop, you may not fall short of breath for years after you’ve developed COPD. Shifting to different climatic zones may lead to breathing difficulties that show up years later. Environmental deterioration has led to an increase in breathing problems among citizens. Many a times, COPD goes unnoticed because breathing troubles are attributed to flu or seasonal allergies. To treat a symptom, it is essential for one to know if it is in a treatable and viable condition.
Common cough will go away in a few days, unlike COPD which brings up mucus with the cough. You may feel short of breath even after moderate physical activities. Moreover, the cough shall last for many months along with occasional bouts of varying severity. Patients may suffer occasional flare-ups during which the symptoms worsen for a specific period of time. Air pollution and lung infections may lead to such exacerbations. Periods of heightened suffering demand immediate medical attention and necessary medical adjustments so as to prevent increased breathing difficulties.
What are the stages of COPD?Consult a physician who may analyze the severity of your disease (if at all) based on medical test reports. COPD symptoms are closely similar to those of cystic or pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis, asthma and other illnesses. Doctors require reports of lung function and spirometer tests to determine the COPD in patients.
Stages of COPD may be categorized into mild, moderate, severe and end stages progressively.
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Emphysema may be categorized into two types – centrilobular and panlobular emphysema. The former type, also called genetic or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, is a devastating disease even though it is not caused by smoking. The latter is the more common type of emphysema which is caused by smoking. The air sacs in the lungs and the airways are destroyed progressively. This type of emphysema is also characterized by inflammation. The victim is to suffer with irritated and inflamed airways that produce a lot of secretions, and a consequent destruction of air sacs. According to medical surveys, COPD is the fourth most alarming cause of global deaths. Naturally, this is a major burden on the health care system in humans.
What causes COPD? COPD is a major causative factor of the high rates of global morbidity and mortality. One of the most common causative factors of COPD is the health-injurious practice of cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke from pipe, cigars and other sources may cause COPD. Over eighty per cent of the listed COPD patients have been smokers and ninety per cent of COPD-related deaths have been caused due to smoking habits. The growth and development of the lungs in teenagers and young people is slowed down by smoking and this leads to increased risks of developing COPD in later stages of life. Secondhand smoking, or passive smoking, may also lead you to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, over 17% of COPD patients do not have any history of smoking.
Smoking may be the leading factor causing pulmonary disease, but there are other factors that should also be taken into account. Air pollution, occupational dust, and hazardous air chemicals may also cause COPD. Since this disease takes time to develop, you may not fall short of breath for years after you’ve developed COPD. Shifting to different climatic zones may lead to breathing difficulties that show up years later. Environmental deterioration has led to an increase in breathing problems among citizens. Many a times, COPD goes unnoticed because breathing troubles are attributed to flu or seasonal allergies. To treat a symptom, it is essential for one to know if it is in a treatable and viable condition.
Common cough will go away in a few days, unlike COPD which brings up mucus with the cough. You may feel short of breath even after moderate physical activities. Moreover, the cough shall last for many months along with occasional bouts of varying severity. Patients may suffer occasional flare-ups during which the symptoms worsen for a specific period of time. Air pollution and lung infections may lead to such exacerbations. Periods of heightened suffering demand immediate medical attention and necessary medical adjustments so as to prevent increased breathing difficulties.
What are the stages of COPD?Consult a physician who may analyze the severity of your disease (if at all) based on medical test reports. COPD symptoms are closely similar to those of cystic or pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis, asthma and other illnesses. Doctors require reports of lung function and spirometer tests to determine the COPD in patients.
Stages of COPD may be categorized into mild, moderate, severe and end stages progressively.
- In the preliminary mild stage, one may suffer from a chronic cough that brings up mucus. You may feel slightly breathless after physical activities. Patients at this stage, however, may show normal range in lung function and spirometer tests.
- Mucus associated with cough, at the moderate stage, may vary in color and texture. Mucus may alternate between yellow and green colors, and thicken in texture. Clear lung health deterioration may be observed from FEV1 tests now. Lung performance tests will show abnormalities in spirometer reports. Patient may experience flare-ups or COPD exacerbation occasionally. Physical exertion will result in prolonged shortness of breath.
- Severe COPD stage is marked by severe airflow limitations. Patient may fall short of breath after normal day-to-day physical activities. This demands urgent medical attention so as to allow the patient to lead a normal active life and manage the symptoms of COPD. Test reports will show alarmingly poor lung health. This stage is characterized by excessive production of mucus and frequent flare-ups or COPD exacerbation.
- At this stage, the primary symptoms of mucus, breathlessness, and cough shall worsen considerably. The end stage is characterized by visibly high weight loss and ever poor lung health and performance. Respiratory functions become poor and threaten a heart failure of the patient. A whole range of new troublesome ailments emerge which may even lead to edema and/or fluid retention in the body.·
- Avoidance is the first treatment. Abstain from your tobacco smoking habits. Removal of this causative factor shall reduce COPD progression in patient, as shown by studies.
- A bronchodilator may be used for exhalation troubles. These short acting medications last for four to six hours and aid the patient to exhale completely.
- Use of long acting bronchodilators and inhalable steroids shall reduce airway inflammation.
- To elevate the patient’s quality of life at later stages of COPD, one may consider pulmonary rehab, long term usage of oxygen supplements and even surgery.
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