What happens with COPD?....?

Question

What are the symptoms...what is the outcome....???

Answer 1

The term COPD is used for patients suffering from either emphysema or chronic bronchitis. The term COPD is usually used because patients with emphysema also frequently have bronchitis.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, persistent and chronic cough with increased mucus production, and constant throat clearing. All these symptoms increase with age and continued smoking, or exposure to pulmonary irritants.

Treatments include supplemental oxygen or mechanical respiratory assistance (respirator), in advance cases. Use of bronchi-dilating drugs like albuterol (by inhaler or nebulizer), antibiotics, and inhaled glucocorticosteroids (for acute exacerbation). None of these medications have been known to improve the condition. They simply help alleviate shortness of breath or help dry up secretions.

As a patient ages weakened heart function reduces the already poor oxygen input to bloodstream and increase shortness of breath, weakness and activity intolerance increases. Often to the point where talking leaves the person severely SOB. General weakness in the elderly also affects their ability to cough effectively and may lead to them needing to be suctioned. Constant suctioning also leads to increased mucus production.

Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis lead to scarring of the lungs and bronchi and over the years they become less effective with air exchange. The sum total of these symptom generally leads to heart and respiratory failure and death.

Answer 2

It is not pretty!! The lungs slowly lose the ability to process air due to mucoidal buildup. Shortness of breath, cyanosis (blue hue to extremities and/or lips due to lack of oxygen), wet, productive cough, rales,gasping when trying to breath. Imagine having a perpetual (and extreme) upper respiratory infection, then multiply that lousy feeling x 100. COPD is incurable and most often a major factor in the cause of person's demise. Most COPD patients do not leave home without oxygen, inhalers, etc.., prednisone is just one of the medications prescribed for this condition, which then causes domino effect on other systems of the body when used for a prolonged period of time. Respiratory Therapy can be helpful, but only temporarily as mucous build up becomes more and more difficult to express from lungs.

Answer 3

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also called COPD) is a chronic lung disease that includes two main illnesses: chronic bronchitis and emphysema (say: "em-fa-see-ma"). There is no cure for COPD.

Your lungs have 2 main parts: bronchial tubes (also called airways) and alveoli (also called air sacs). When you breathe in through your wind pipe, the air moves through your bronchial tubes and into your alveoli. From the alveoli, oxygen goes into your blood while carbon dioxide moves out of your blood.

If you have chronic bronchitis, the lining in your bronchial tubes gets red and full of mucus. This mucus blocks your tubes, and makes it hard to breathe.

If you have emphysema, your alveoli are irritated. They get stiff and can't hold enough air. This makes it hard for you to get oxygen into and carbon dioxide out of your blood.



Who gets COPD?
About 14 million people in the United States have COPD. The disease develops over many years. It is almost always caused by cigarette smoking. The best way prevent or keep COPD from getting worse is to quit smoking.


How can I find out if I have COPD?

The most common signs of COPD are chronic coughing and shortness of breath. If you are a smoker who coughs and is usually short of breath, then you might have COPD. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

Your doctor might give you a special test to see how well your lungs are working. In this test, you take deep breaths and then blow into a machine. The machine measures how deeply you can breathe and how fast you can move air in and out of your lungs. You might also have a chest x-ray. The x-ray can show signs of COPD.

How is COPD treated?

If you have COPD, the most important thing you can do is to stop smoking. This can stop or at least slow the damage to your lungs. Talk to your doctor about how to stop smoking. If you quit smoking soon, you have a better chance of living longer and being healthier.

Your doctor may also have you take some medicines to make you feel better and breathe more easily. These medicines can include antibiotics and some medicines that you inhale (breathe in). You might need to take steroids and antibiotics if you get a respiratory infection.

Some people with more advanced COPD need to use oxygen. You breathe the oxygen through tubes that you put in your nose or through a mask that goes over your mouth and nose.

Patients with very serious COPD might have surgery. They might have a lung reduction operation or a lung transplant. These surgeries are usually done only in people who have not done well with other treatments.



How do I take inhaled medicines?

To take inhaled medicines, you might use a small handheld canister or you might use a nebulizer machine to deliver a specific amount of medication to your lungs. A nebulizer machine turns liquid medicine into a vapor (like a cloud) that you can breathe. This machine is often used to treat people with more serious COPD. It also helps people who have trouble using handheld inhalers.

Your doctor will tell you how to take your medicine. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions carefully, so that your lungs receive the right amount of medicine.


What are the complications of COPD?
If you have COPD, you might be more likely to get colds and flu. Because your heart can be strained, it will get bigger. You might have high pressure in the vessels that bring blood to your lungs.

You should have a flu shot every year. You should also have a pneumonia shot. You are less likely to get flu or pneumonia if you have these shots. Rehabilitation and exercise programs specifically for people who have COPD may also be helpful.

Answer 4

the first answer is very right in my opion i agree with it.100. percent as well to. ?