| What does COPD mean? COPD stands for Chronic | | | | as time passes. Breathlessness is usually |
| Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It | | | | intermittent and only occurs with exertion in |
| encompasses two types of disease processes | | | | the beginning, however if you continue to |
| namely chronic bronchitis and emphysema. | | | | smoke, the breathlessness persists even when |
| Quite often, people who suffer from COPD show | | | | you are at rest, this can be quite |
| a combination of features of both disease | | | | distressing! Other symptoms are chronic |
| processes. In lay person's term, COPD means | | | | sputum production, where you constantly cough |
| persistent lung disease with features of | | | | up phlegm all day and recurrent chest |
| airway narrowing. To be more specific, | | | | infection. People with COPD are more prone |
| bronchitis means inflammation of the bronchi | | | | to chest infection for obvious reasons, as |
| or the larger airways of the lungs whereas | | | | the lining in the lung looses its normal |
| emphysema means destruction to the smaller | | | | defense mechanism against intruding bugs.COPD |
| airways and alveoli or airsacs of the lungs. | | | | sounds like asthma, are they any different? |
| Thus COPD is commonly used to describe | | | | Yes. Both COPD and asthma cause similar |
| chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both.Is | | | | symptoms, however, they are different in |
| COPD a common condition? It is one of the | | | | certain ways. COPD causes permanent damage to |
| commonest conditions that require hospital | | | | the airways. The obstruction is 'fixed', |
| admission during period of flare-ups. | | | | hence it is irreversible in general terms. |
| According to one epidemiology study in the | | | | However, airway narrowing in asthma is |
| US, approximately eight million people have | | | | intermittent and reverses quite easily with |
| chronic bronchitis whereas 2 million people | | | | medication. Having said that, both COPD and |
| have emphysema. As we can see, chronic | | | | asthma is common, people who suffer COPD can |
| bronchitis is more common than emphysema.What | | | | have an asthmatic component and vice |
| are the causes of COPD? Smoking. Smoking is | | | | versa.What tests are needed to diagnose COPD? |
| the number 1 cause of COPD. More than 90 | | | | A test called spirometry is often performed |
| percent of COPDs are caused by smoking, | | | | to diagnose COPD. Bronchodilators (drugs |
| cigarette or otherwise. About 30 percent of | | | | that cause the airway to dilate) are usually |
| long term smokers will eventually show | | | | added to confirm the diagnosis. If the test |
| symptoms of COPD of varying degrees. Other | | | | result does not show improvement with |
| causes include air pollution and inherited | | | | bronchodilators, then COPD is very |
| enzyme deficiency namely alpha-1 antitrypsin | | | | likely.What are the treatments of COPD? |
| deficiency.How does smoking cause COPD? | | | | First of all. Stop smoking. This cannot be |
| Smoking inadvertently damages the lining of | | | | stressed enough. Smoking cessation is the |
| the airways. As with any other part of the | | | | first thing you have to do if you want to get |
| body in response to injury, inflammation | | | | better. As the underlying mechanism of COPD |
| occurs. Inflammation stimulates the damaged | | | | is irreversible, medications are used with an |
| lining to secrete mucus in an abnormal amount | | | | aim to slow down it's progress. Drugs that |
| and also causes the airway to constrict | | | | are commonly used to treat COPD include |
| (narrow).What are the symptoms of COPD? The | | | | short-acting bronchodilator inhalers (i.e. |
| two main symptoms are cough and | | | | salbutamol), long-acting bronchodilator |
| breathlessness. COPD sufferers commonly | | | | inhalers (i.e. tiotropium), steroid inhalers |
| complain about breathlessness and cough that | | | | and tablets are all available drugs for |
| develop gradually over a long period of time. | | | | treatment of COPD. Again, no treatment is |
| The cough that COPD sufferer gets are | | | | more important that stop smoking. Lung |
| usually productive which means they commonly | | | | transplant is the last option and should be |
| cough up phlegm. The cough usually comes and | | | | reserved for people with severe COPD. |
| goes initially but tends to become persistent | | | | |