Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); It is a disorder characterized by shortness of breath, cough, and excessive sputum production. It is a lung disease that develops due to conditions such as smoking and breathing irritant gases. COPD is a serious health problem that also increases the risk of lung cancer.
What is COPD?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or better known as COPD, is a chronic condition in which airflow in the lungs is blocked. Substances such as cigarette smoke and irritant gases that irritate the airways cause inflammation (inflammation) in the respiratory tract.
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two different diseases that are frequently involved in COPD. Emphysema is damage to small air sacs called alveoli in the lung. This damage; It can be seen by inhaling harmful substances such as cigarette smoke, irritant gas, chemical particles.
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi. The bronchi are the structure that carries air to the alveoli, the most extreme region of the lung. Inflammation in the bronchi causes coughing and excessive sputum production.
COPD disease progresses over time and causes more damage to the lung tissue. The main purpose in the treatment of COPD patients is to slow down this progression and prevent the development of complications related to the disease.
COPD causes the development of some symptoms in patients. While the symptoms are mild at the beginning of the disease, the symptoms become more severe as the disease progresses.
COPD causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough in the early period.
As the disease progresses:
- Dyspnea,
- Chest tightness,
- Wheezing,
/li> - Chronic cough,
- Symptoms such as frequent respiratory tract infections are seen.
- Constant wheezing ,
- Barrel chest,
- Weight loss,
- Swelling in hands and feet, edema,
- Irregularities in heart rhythm.
What are the Stages of COPD?
Various methods are used to evaluate subjects such as how well the lungs work and how well the lung functions are preserved in patients diagnosed with COPD.
Staging and lung funding for COPD patients A respiratory test called spirometry is applied to determine the respiratory tract. In the test called Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV), the patient is asked to take a deep breath and exhale strongly. The volume of air given by the patient in the first 1 second while exhaling deeply is measured. The FEV1 value obtained as a result of this measurement is compared with the FEV1 value calculated for healthy people with similar characteristics to the patient.
If the expected or expected FEV1 value for the patient is higher than the actual result of the patient, it means that there is a decrease in the patient's lung function. The greater the difference between the expected FEV1 value for the patient and the patient's actual outcome, the more severe the reduction in lung function. Another value measured by spirometry in
COPD patients is Forced Vital Capacity (FVC). In this measurement, the patient is asked to take as much air as possible into his lungs. Thus, the patient's maximum lung capacity is evaluated. The FEV1/FVC ratio is a very important parameter for COPD. For a patient to be considered a COPD patient, the FEV1/FVC ratio must be less than 70%.
COPD is staged with reference to FEV1 results. In this staging system called GOLD:
- GOLD 1 or Mild: FEV1 is >80. It can be considered as the onset of COPD. The patient may not have any symptoms. shortness of breath in the patient; It can occur in situations such as fast walking, hill climbing.
- GOLD 2 or Medium: FEV1 is between 50-70. The patient may feel the need to breathe every few minutes while walking on a flat surface.
- GOLD 3 or Severe: FEV1 is in the range of 30-50. The patient may have difficulty leaving the house due to shortness of breath. Patient; He may be out of breath even in daily tasks such as dressing, undressing, going to the toilet.
- GOLD 4 or Very Severe: It is the stage where FEV1 is <30. The patient may experience shortness of breath even at rest. In this stage, which is also called the end stage, the patient may develop heart or lung failure.
These tests are basically used to determine the severity of the patient's symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, and sleep quality. These test results of the patients and the number of times they apply to the hospital due to COPD exacerbation during the year are evaluated together, and the patients are divided into various groups. These groups help the doctor create an appropriate treatment plan for the patient.
Is COPD Contagious?
COPD is not a contagious disease. Smoking is the most common cause of COPD in developed countries. Gases such as exhaust fumes and smoke from a stove for cooking in rural areas can also cause the development of COPD.
Inhaled air in a healthy person; It progresses to the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and finally to the alveoli, where gas exchange takes place. Alveoli have very thin walls and these structures are rich in capillaries.
In this way, while oxygen transfers from the fresh air coming to the alveoli to the capillaries, carbon dioxide transfers from the capillaries to the alveoli. Carbon dioxide passed into the alveoli is exhaled through exhalation. In order for all these respiratory functions to occur properly, the elasticity of the lung must be preserved. COPD impairs the elasticity of the lungs. Even though COPD patients exhale, they cannot expel all the air and some air remains in the lungs.
There are some factors that increase the risk for the development of COPD. These factors are:
- Exposure to cigarette smoke,
- Having asthma,
- Exposure to chemical gases and particles due to occupation,
- Exposed from flammable materials breathing gases can be listed as a genetic predisposition.
- Respiratory system infections,
- Heart disorders,
- Lung cancer,
- High blood pressure in the pulmonary vessels (pulmonary hypertension),
- It can be listed as depression.
How is COPD Treated?
Purpose of COPD treatment; to reduce exacerbations of COPD seen in the patient, To alleviate the omas, to slow down the development of the disease and to prevent the development of complications related to the disease. The treatment is planned considering the general condition of the patient.
The most important part of COPD treatment is smoking cessation. Quitting smoking is effective in easing the course of the disease and stopping the decrease in lung capacity. If a COPD patient has difficulty in quitting smoking, he or she should seek professional support.
Drug treatments can be used to control the symptoms seen in COPD patients. Bronchodilator drugs, which relax the muscles around the airway and thus enable more comfortable breathing, can be taken with a device called an inhaler. Thus, the patient's breathing becomes easier. Steroid drugs can also be added to the treatment to reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract. Antibiotic medication may be required in the treatment of COPD patients with respiratory tract infections.
In addition to drug therapy, breathing exercises can also be beneficial in COPD patients. Patients who practice these exercises regularly can make breathing more comfortable.
Surgery can be applied to COPD patients with severe emphysema and who do not benefit from drug therapy. For the treatment of COPD, there are various operations to the lung or surgical options such as lung transplantation.
If you suspect COPD, it will be useful to apply to the nearest health institution. With the early diagnosis of COPD, treatment of the patient can be started before lung damage progresses and without a serious decrease in lung function.
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