Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a poorly reversible progressive decrease in airflow through the respiratory tract. This ailment usually occurs in people over 40 who have clinical symptoms of emphysema and / or chronic bronchitis. If you suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over a long period of time, it wreaks havoc on your body.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – Definition

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease develops in people who usually have clinical symptoms of chronic bronchitis (chronic bronchitis) and / or emphysema. The flow limitation is not completely reversible – that is, it increases with the patient’s age and the number of the so-called disease exacerbations caused e.g. by infections. Although the ailment begins in the lungs, its effects are visible in other organs as well. One of the factors influencing the development of the disease is passive and active smoking. Be aware that tobacco smoke causes chronic inflammation as your body’s own defense response.

Remember that any doubts related to your health and worrying symptoms should be consulted with your family doctor. He will collect an interview and refer us to appropriate examinations and to specialists. Make an online appointment with the National Health Fund via the halodoctor.pl portal.

COPD is extremely dangerous because it does not cause any symptoms for many years. When a patient sees a doctor with a feeling of breathlessness, the disease is usually very advanced. Then the lungs lack more than half of the respiratory reserves (it is a part of the lungs that we do not use during normal breathing; we reach for it only when we exercise a lot or when there is little oxygen in the air, e.g. in the mountains). That’s why it’s so important to check your lungs regularly. Especially since it can be done quickly and painlessly with a test called spirometry.

You can also monitor your respiratory function at home with the Philips Respironics Personal Best Asthma Monitor.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – Smokers Beware!

COPD is a disease that is clearly related to cigarette smoking. It mainly affects smokers, who account for 80-90 percent. sick. The disease is more common in men and in the elderly. The first symptom of the disease is the morning cough for no apparent reason (e.g. infection). As the disease progresses, there is a feeling of breathlessness and fatigue in activities that require physical exertion. The effort is accompanied by coughing, loss of breath, and sometimes wheezing. In the advanced form of COPD, the patient experiences shortness of breath even at the slightest exertion. Coughing often occurs in the morning, right after waking up (the so-called morning bronchial hygiene). The patient coughs up secretions (usually transparent or white). Frequent infections occurring in the course of this disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, and respiratory tract infections exacerbate the symptoms of COPD.

Symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

For many people, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is asymptomatic for a very long time. Despite this, the lesions are still developing. At first, there is little difficulty in breathing, especially during exercise. Unfortunately, we notice the deterioration of efficiency when half of the lungs are already destroyed. Patients begin to cough and cough up sputum over time, especially in the morning. Thereafter, the feeling of breathlessness gradually worsens, which also begins during rest and sleep. As the disease progresses, you may feel tightness in your chest and you may hear a whistling sound when you breathe.

The cough assistant – Philips Respironics CoughAssist E70, which can be used both in medical facilities and at home, helps to breathe and cough up secretions.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – diagnosis

The diagnosis of COPD requires medical consultation, preferably a pulmonary specialist. It is based primarily on a properly collected medical history, physical examination and additional tests. In each case, a radiological examination (x-ray of the lungs) should be performed. Spirometry is also required to confirm the diagnosis of COPD.

The basic test performed in the diagnosis of obstructive pulmonary disease is spirometry test.

A precise measure of disease severity is the rate of airflow from the lungs during the first second of forced exhalation, or FEV1 for short. This variable is measured during a special measurement of the force of exhalation – spirometry. The spirometer automatically measures both the volume and velocity of air being blown out of the lungs. The most important information obtained from spirometry is the flow rate and the volume of air exhausted in the first second of forced exhalation. The degree of reduction of the volume of air blown out in the first second of forced exhalation (FEV1) in relation to the vital capacity of the lungs (FVC) and in relation to the norm in a healthy person determines the scale of airway narrowing.

In a spirometry test, the FEV1 / FVC ratio in people with COPD is less than 70%. The reduction in airflow is associated with inflammatory changes, mainly in the peripheral airways, which constrict them and cause pathological lung remodeling. These changes are the result of the lungs reacting to tobacco smoke, dust and gases.

Another diagnostic test is gasometrywhose task is to assess the concentration of gases in the blood. In order for it to be performed, blood must be taken from the patient’s artery. Important: A high level of carbon dioxide and a low level of oxygen indicate chronic bronchitis.

You can also make pulse oximetrywhich involves placing a sensor on the patient’s earlobe that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. There is also the possibility of taking home measurements – the pulse oximeter can be ordered through Medonet Market.

The course of COPD is progressive. If the patient does not quit smoking in a timely manner and is not treated properly, respiratory failure may develop quickly, impeding normal functioning and often requiring home oxygen therapy.

COPD requires consultation with a pulmonologist. If you do not want to wait for the date of the visit under the National Health Fund, arrange a private consultation at the Arkmedic clinic.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – Treatment

In the pharmacological treatment of chronic obstructive pneumonia, inhalants are primarily recommended. They are aimed at reducing the symptoms of the disease and relieving the symptoms. Pharmacotherapy improves the patient’s general condition significantly, as does exercise tolerance. Before starting therapy, the patient should be instructed on the correct inhalation of drugs. The main medications prescribed for obstructive pulmonary disease are:

1. anticholinergic drugs – dilate the bronchi; they include short-acting agents, e.g. ipratropium bromide, and long-acting ones, e.g. tiotropium preparation that inhibits the decrease in the respiratory efficiency of the respiratory system; a good effect is achieved by a combination of b2-mimetic together with a long-acting anticholinolytic drug,
2. Inhaled glucocorticosteroids – they work well especially in patients with a severe form of the disease; their regular use improves the quality of life by reducing the number of exacerbations of the disease; taking glucocorticosteroids together with long-acting b2-agonists gives better results than taking these preparations separately,
3. b2-agonists (fast and short-acting; they alleviate the feeling of breathlessness and are used on an ad hoc basis); the use of long-acting mimetics is much more effective in patients with severe symptoms of COPD.

In the treatment of COPD, we recommend breathing training with the use of special devices, such as the Gima breathing trainer – three-chamber respirogram or the Philips IMT Threshold Breathing Trainer – both available at promotional prices on Medonet Market.

Some patients may require surgical removal of the emphysema blisters. The excision of blisters that are not involved in gas exchange allows the expansion of the remaining part of the pulmonary parenchyma, thus reducing the feeling of shortness of breath and improving the functioning of the lungs. Another surgical method is the surgical reduction of the lung volume, that is, excision of a fragment of the lung in order to reduce their distension and improve air flow.

How to prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

1. Quit smoking.

2. Avoid being around smokers.

3. Try to protect against respiratory tract infections.

4. During the infection season, try to avoid being in large group clusters and remember to vaccinate against the flu.

5. Remember to take medications regularly.

6. Try to stay as little as possible in places with polluted air.

7. Start engaging in physical activity, such as taking a lot of walks.

8. Diet – should be healthy and high in calcium, vitamin C, potassium and protein. It is recommended to drink plenty of still drinks.

9. Eliminate salt and foods that cause gas, such as onions, cabbage, and legumes, from your daily diet.

If, in addition to coughing, the patient also has rhinitis and chronic conjunctivitis, it is worth considering the Alex mail-order test, which detects as many as 295 allergens. The survey is available on Medonet Market.