Disease Insights: copd
Welcome to the ultimate guide on . Here, you'll find answers to the most common questions to help you or your loved ones understand and manage this condition better.
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Questions Covered:
- what is COPD?
- What are the usual symptoms of COPD?
- causes of COPD?
- How do doctors usually figure out if someone has COPD, diagnosis?
- How do doctors usually treat COPD?
Answers:
Question: what is COPD?
COPD is a disease that damages your lungs over time. It may start with mild symptoms and then get worse. Treatment can help symptoms and slow disease progression.
Question: What are the usual symptoms of COPD?
COPD makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms may be mild at first, beginning with intermittent coughing and shortness of breath. As it progresses, symptoms can become more constant to where it can become increasingly difficult to breathe.
You may experience wheezing and tightness in the chest or have excess sputum production. Some people with COPD have acute exacerbations, which are flare-ups of severe symptoms.
Early symptoms
At first, symptoms of COPD can be quite mild. You might mistake them for a cold.
Early symptoms include:
occasional shortness of breath, especially after exercise
mild but recurrent cough
needing to clear your throat often, especially first thing in the morning
You might start making subtle changes, such as avoiding stairs and skipping physical activities.
Worsening symptoms
Symptoms can get progressively worse and harder to ignore. As the lungs become more damaged, you may experience:
shortness of breath, after even mild forms of exercise like walking up a flight of stairs
wheezing, which is a type of higher-pitched noisy breathing, especially during exhalations
chest tightness
chronic cough, with or without mucus
need to clear mucus from your lungs every day
frequent colds, flu, or other respiratory infections
lack of energy
In later stages of COPD, symptoms may also include:
fatigue
swelling of the feet, ankles, or legs
weight loss
Symptoms are likely to be much worse if you currently smoke or are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
Learn more about the symptoms of COPD.
Emergency treatment
Immediate medical care is needed if:
you have bluish or gray fingernails or lips, as this indicates low oxygen levels in your blood
you have trouble catching your breath or can't talk
you feel confused, muddled, or faint
your heart is racing
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Question: causes of COPD?
Most people with COPD are at least 40 years old and have at least some history of smoking. The longer and more tobacco products you smoke, the greater your risk of COPD is.
In addition to cigarette smoke, cigar smoke, pipe smoke, and secondhand smoke can cause COPD. Your risk of COPD is even greater if you have asthma and smoke.
Other causes
You can also develop COPD if you're exposed to chemicals and fumes in the workplace. Long-term exposure to air pollution and inhaling dust can also cause COPD.
In developing countries, along with tobacco smoke, homes are often poorly ventilated, forcing families to breathe fumes from burning fuel used for cooking and heating.
There may be a genetic predisposition to developing COPD. Up to an estimated 5 percent
of people with COPD have a deficiency in a protein called alpha-1-antitrypsin.
This deficiency causes the lungs to deteriorate and also can affect the liver. There may be other associated genetic factors at play as well.
Question: How do doctors usually figure out if someone has COPD, diagnosis?
There's no single test for COPD. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, a physical exam, and diagnostic test results.
When you visit the doctor, be sure to mention all of your symptoms. Tell your doctor if:
you're a smoker or have smoked in the past
you're exposed to lung irritants on the job
you're exposed to a lot of secondhand smoke
you have a family history of COPD
you have asthma or other respiratory conditions
you take over-the-counter or prescription medications
Exam and tests
During the physical exam, your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs as you breathe. Based on all this information, your doctor may order some of these tests to get a more complete picture:
Spirometry is a noninvasive test to assess lung function. During the test, you'll take a deep breath and then blow into a tube connected to the spirometer.
Imaging tests, like a chest X-ray or CT scan. These images can provide a detailed look at your lungs, blood vessels, and heart.
An arterial blood gas test. This involves taking a blood sample from an artery to measure your blood oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other important levels.
These tests can help determine if you have COPD or a different condition, such as asthma, a restrictive lung disease, or heart failure.
Learn more about how COPD is diagnosed.
Question: How do doctors usually treat COPD?
Treatment can ease symptoms, prevent complications, and generally slow disease progression. Your healthcare team may include a lung specialist (pulmonologist) and physical and respiratory therapists.
Oxygen therapy
If your blood oxygen level is too low, you can receive supplemental oxygen through a mask or nasal cannula to help you breathe better. A portable unit can make it easier to get around.
Surgery
Surgery is reserved for severe COPD or when other treatments have failed, which is more likely when you have a form of severe emphysema.
One type of surgery is called bullectomy. During this procedure, surgeons remove large, abnormal air spaces (bullae) from the lungs.
Another is lung volume reduction surgery, which removes damaged upper lung tissue. Lung volume reduction surgery can be effective at improving breathing, but few patients undergo this major, somewhat risky procedure.
Lung transplantation is an option in some cases. Lung transplantation can effectively cure COPD, but has its many risks.
There is a less invasive method of improving the efficiency of airflow in people with severe emphysema called endobronchial valves (EBV), which are one-way valves that divert inspired air to healthy lungs and away from non-functioning, damaged lungs.
In 2018, an EBV device called the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve
was approved by the FDA and has been shown to improve lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life for patients living with emphysema.
Lifestyle changes
Certain lifestyle changes may also help alleviate your symptoms or provide relief.
If you smoke, quit. Your doctor can recommend appropriate products or support services.
Whenever possible, avoid secondhand smoke and chemical fumes.
Get the nutrition your body needs. Work with your doctor or dietician to create a healthy eating plan.
Talk to your doctor about how much exercise is safe for you.
Learn more about the different treatment options for COPD.
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