COPD (CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE) SUMMARY

Melanie P. Kopp • Mark Anthony Salcedo

COPD Definition:
COPD is not a single disease, but a group of conditions including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and
asthma, that damage the lungs, blocking the passage of air in and out, and making it difficult to breathe.
• Chronic Bronchitis is the presence of chronic cough and sputum (mucus) production for at least 3 months of
the year for at least 2 consecutive years in the absence of any other disease.
• Emphysema is the enlargement of air spaces distal to the conducting airways.
• Asthma is characterized by airway inflammation due to a variety of stimuli and by airway obstruction that is
reversible spontaneously or in response to treatment.

Air needs to move in and out of your lungs to meet your body’s needs. When the flow of air out of the lungs
is blocked, stale air becomes trapped in the lungs. This makes it harder for the lungs to get enough oxygen to the
rest of the body.
Example: our airways branch out inside our lungs like an upside-down tree. At the end of each branch are
small, balloon-like air sacs. In healthy people, both the airways and air sacs are springy and elastic. When you
breathe in, each air sac fills with air like a small balloon. The balloon deflates when you exhale. In COPD, your
airways and air sacs lose their shape and become floppy, like a stretched-out rubber band.

Statistics:
COPD is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as the "smoker's disease." It is the fourth major
cause of death throughout the world. In the Philippines, it is the seventh leading killer, while it is third in the U.S. …
Medical researchers are projecting that if the trend continues, COPD will become one of the top diseases causing
illness and death in the Philippines by the year 2020. Yet a lot of people know little about this dreaded disease
because its recognition as a public health problem has been evolving slowly despite the rising mortality rate.

Pathology:
In the peripheral airways of patients with COPD, there is airflow limitation due to loss of alveolar
attachments, as well as inflammation, fibrosis, and mucus secretion, which result in the obstruction of airway. The
contributions to airflow limitation from this process vary from individual to individual. There is a noticeable change
in structure due to inflammation, and this causes limitation of air passages.

Signs and Symptoms:

Common symptoms of COPD include:
→ ‘wet’ cough, usually accompanied by a lot of
phlegm
→ tightness in the chest
→ shortness of breath (particularly in cold
weather and in the mornings)
→ wheezing with mild exertions, like climbing
stairs
→ frequent clearing of the throat
→ chest infections with phlegm becoming yellow
or green.
Symptom may also include the presence of
any or all of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and
asthma.
Diagnostic Tools:
Your doctor will do a medical exam and order
tests such as:
• Spirometry – measurement of breathing.
• Chest x-ray – to check lung abnormalities.
• CT scan – to help detect other deformities
not seen in the x-ray.
• Sputum (Mucus) Exam – to examine the
cells of the mucus.
• Blood test – to test how well the lungs bring
oxygen to the blood.

Treatments:
Treatment and prevention of COPD includes
• Quit smoking – because the leading cause of this disease is smoking.
• Medications like:
○ Bronchodilators – to relax the muscles of the airways.
○ Inhaled Steroids – to reduce airway inflammation and help the patient breathe better.
○ Antibiotics – to help fight bacterial infection.
• Also, we have surgeries like:
○ Lung Volume Reduction Surgery – to remove small wedges of damaged lung tissues to create extra space.
○ Lung Transplant – to improve your ability to breathe and be active.
• Then we have therapies such as:
○ Oxygen Therapy – to aid supplemental oxygen to the body.
○ And the Pulmonary rehabilitation Program - to decrease the length of any hospitalizations you require,
increase your ability to participate in everyday activities and improve your quality of life.