Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: symptoms, treatment, causes
COPD is a fairly common disease, based on the inflammatory processes of the respiratory tract, accompanied by narrowing of the bronchi and destruction of the lung tissue.
As a result, air is restricted to the respiratory organs, which causes oxygen starvation throughout the body.
Patients with similar diseases are practically deprived of the opportunity to actively live and work normally. It is not always possible to recognize the disease at an early stage, the lack of adequate treatment leads to a significant deterioration in health, sometimes to fatal outcomes.
According to statistics, a high mortality rate is noted in underdeveloped countries, where a weak preventive system and treatment base. Disease is preventable if people adhere to the rules of a healthy lifestyle.
In 90% of cases, patients with COPD smoked for many years, had other bad habits. The constant inhalation of tobacco smoke adversely affects the functioning of the respiratory system. Smoke cigarettes helps to increase mucus production, reduce air access to the lungs. As a result of smoking, there is hypertrophy of the mucous membrane, a reduction in smooth muscle fibers and a deterioration of the cleansing functions of the respiratory tract.
Causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease:
The disease is progressive, in case of improper technique or lack of treatment, COPD can lead to disability or death.
The disease differs from acute or chronic bronchitis in that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has shortness of breath under stress, and then in a restful state.
Many are unaware of the disease, hoping that the cough will eventually pass, but the disease is progressing and irreversible consequences appear.
The first symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , which should set you up:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is classified into 4 stages: mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe. The mild and moderate degree is characterized by a cough in the morning without pronounced dyspnea. A severe form of the disease is accompanied by wheezing, shortness of breath, weakness. An extremely severe form is marked by obstruction and carries a threat to human life. Often patients with 4 degrees of disease become disabled. Sometimes there is an imaginary recovery, but under negative conditions the disease worsens.
How is the exacerbation expressed? Cough intensifies, sputum and purulent discharge( light or green color) increase, dyspnea increases. Due to the narrowing of the bronchi and the accumulation of mucus or sputum, bronchi and alveoli swell. The lumen becomes small, and air access to the respiratory organs is limited. The tissue of the lungs is a sponge, which in the unfolded state has a huge area. This allows you to effectively absorb oxygen from the air.
If, as a result of COPD, the structure of the lung tissue changes, the cells of the sponge become large, and the area of the lungs decreases significantly. This threatens to reduce access to oxygen in the body, since the lungs are no longer able to extract enough oxygen from the air. Patients with COPD are quickly fatigued, as oxygen starvation negatively affects the work of muscles and other organs.
To determine the correct method of treatment, it is necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis and the degree of the disease. The main method of diagnosis is spirometry.
The principle is to measure the volume of inhaled air and the rate of exhalation. The program determines your indicators and compares it with the rates depending on the age and condition of the organism. If there are slight deviations, it is necessary to repeat the spirometry with a medicine and an inhaler.
Such diagnostics makes it possible to distinguish COPD from asthma or obstructive bronchitis. In addition, the patient is assigned other diagnostic methods: radiography, ECG, blood test and sputum.
For the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pharmacotherapy, apparatus techniques, rehabilitation and sanatorium measures are offered.
An important strategy for combating the disease is the exclusion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during preventive examinations, informing the public about the causes and signs of the disease. If the disease is suspected, the doctor prescribes drugs that improve sputum discharge, restoring the functions of the respiratory system.
Treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:
Doctors recommend massages, light physical exercises during the rehabilitation period. In severe cases, surgical intervention is used to remove the most affected areas of the lung.
Risk factors include heredity, respiratory tract infections, beriberi.
Influenza, ARI, pneumonia provoke the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, it is important to beware of hypothermia, infection during the epidemic. Adenovirus infection, pneumococci, streptococci lead to the defeat of the respiratory system, which in the future can provoke the development of COPD.It is necessary to do annual flu vaccinations, once every five years, vaccinate against pneumococcal infection to exclude pneumonia.
It is important to maintain the body in good shape, to enhance its protective functions. This is facilitated by physical exercises, walking outdoors, eating fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, broth of wild rose, dried fruits. The products must contain vitamins, minerals, and ration to include protein and vegetable foods.
The prognosis is rather optimistic, if the patient adheres to the recommendations of a doctor - a pulmonologist, does not smoke and does not abuse alcohol. If work in harmful conditions can provoke COPD, it is necessary to urgently change the conditions of life and work.
With this obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac rhythm disturbances may occur. Complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also include heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal and respiratory disorders, emphysema, bronchiectasis, pulmonary heart. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal.
As a result, air is restricted to the respiratory organs, which causes oxygen starvation throughout the body.
Patients with similar diseases are practically deprived of the opportunity to actively live and work normally. It is not always possible to recognize the disease at an early stage, the lack of adequate treatment leads to a significant deterioration in health, sometimes to fatal outcomes.
Causes of COPD
According to statistics, a high mortality rate is noted in underdeveloped countries, where a weak preventive system and treatment base. Disease is preventable if people adhere to the rules of a healthy lifestyle.
In 90% of cases, patients with COPD smoked for many years, had other bad habits. The constant inhalation of tobacco smoke adversely affects the functioning of the respiratory system. Smoke cigarettes helps to increase mucus production, reduce air access to the lungs. As a result of smoking, there is hypertrophy of the mucous membrane, a reduction in smooth muscle fibers and a deterioration of the cleansing functions of the respiratory tract.
Causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease:
- 1) Pollution of the environment and air in the case of using heating oil for heating;
- 2) Harmful working conditions( contact with dust, chemicals, smoke and pesticides);
- 3) Postponed early respiratory tract infections( bronchitis, asthma);
- 4) Smoking;
- 5) Impaired breathing due to curvature of the septum of the nose.
The disease is progressive, in case of improper technique or lack of treatment, COPD can lead to disability or death.
Symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
The disease differs from acute or chronic bronchitis in that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has shortness of breath under stress, and then in a restful state.
Many are unaware of the disease, hoping that the cough will eventually pass, but the disease is progressing and irreversible consequences appear.
The first symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , which should set you up:
- 1) Dry or wet cough with sufficient sputum, especially in the morning;
- 2) During periods of exacerbation of the disease with infection, sputum increases, pus increases, and dyspnea begins to bother even more;
- 3) Chryps with whistling in the chest;
- 4) Shortness of breath: it becomes difficult for patients to inhale air, it is easier to inhale it;
- 5) Weakness;
- 6) Sleep disorder;
- 7) As a person suffers from COPD, cardiovascular problems also appear: malaise, pain in the heart, bone pain, deformity of the hands and feet.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is classified into 4 stages: mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe. The mild and moderate degree is characterized by a cough in the morning without pronounced dyspnea. A severe form of the disease is accompanied by wheezing, shortness of breath, weakness. An extremely severe form is marked by obstruction and carries a threat to human life. Often patients with 4 degrees of disease become disabled. Sometimes there is an imaginary recovery, but under negative conditions the disease worsens.
How is the exacerbation expressed? Cough intensifies, sputum and purulent discharge( light or green color) increase, dyspnea increases. Due to the narrowing of the bronchi and the accumulation of mucus or sputum, bronchi and alveoli swell. The lumen becomes small, and air access to the respiratory organs is limited. The tissue of the lungs is a sponge, which in the unfolded state has a huge area. This allows you to effectively absorb oxygen from the air.
If, as a result of COPD, the structure of the lung tissue changes, the cells of the sponge become large, and the area of the lungs decreases significantly. This threatens to reduce access to oxygen in the body, since the lungs are no longer able to extract enough oxygen from the air. Patients with COPD are quickly fatigued, as oxygen starvation negatively affects the work of muscles and other organs.
Treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
To determine the correct method of treatment, it is necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis and the degree of the disease. The main method of diagnosis is spirometry.
The principle is to measure the volume of inhaled air and the rate of exhalation. The program determines your indicators and compares it with the rates depending on the age and condition of the organism. If there are slight deviations, it is necessary to repeat the spirometry with a medicine and an inhaler.
Such diagnostics makes it possible to distinguish COPD from asthma or obstructive bronchitis. In addition, the patient is assigned other diagnostic methods: radiography, ECG, blood test and sputum.
For the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pharmacotherapy, apparatus techniques, rehabilitation and sanatorium measures are offered.
An important strategy for combating the disease is the exclusion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during preventive examinations, informing the public about the causes and signs of the disease. If the disease is suspected, the doctor prescribes drugs that improve sputum discharge, restoring the functions of the respiratory system.
Treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:
- relieving the patient's condition, reducing seizures;
- prevention of recurrences and exacerbations of the disease;
- elimination of complications.
Doctors recommend massages, light physical exercises during the rehabilitation period. In severe cases, surgical intervention is used to remove the most affected areas of the lung.
Prognosis and prevention of COPD
Risk factors include heredity, respiratory tract infections, beriberi.
Influenza, ARI, pneumonia provoke the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, it is important to beware of hypothermia, infection during the epidemic. Adenovirus infection, pneumococci, streptococci lead to the defeat of the respiratory system, which in the future can provoke the development of COPD.It is necessary to do annual flu vaccinations, once every five years, vaccinate against pneumococcal infection to exclude pneumonia.
It is important to maintain the body in good shape, to enhance its protective functions. This is facilitated by physical exercises, walking outdoors, eating fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, broth of wild rose, dried fruits. The products must contain vitamins, minerals, and ration to include protein and vegetable foods.
The prognosis is rather optimistic, if the patient adheres to the recommendations of a doctor - a pulmonologist, does not smoke and does not abuse alcohol. If work in harmful conditions can provoke COPD, it is necessary to urgently change the conditions of life and work.
Complications of
With this obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac rhythm disturbances may occur. Complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also include heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal and respiratory disorders, emphysema, bronchiectasis, pulmonary heart. In severe cases, the disease can be fatal.