An obstruction of air flow from chronic asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema.
Diseases that restrict the ability of the body to obtain oxygen through the respiratory structures. These diseases include asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease.
Any of a group of progressive respiratory disorders where someone experiences loss of lung function and shows little or no response to steroid or bronchodilator drug treatments, e.g. emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Descriptive term characterized by chronic or recurring obstruction of air flow in the lungs resulting from chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, or bronchiectasis.
Lung disorder caused by chronic exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke and pollution; alveoli rupture creating large spaces and obstruction, characterized by dyspnea, severe productive cough, fatigue, and cyanosis.
An obstruction of the airways that progressively affects the ability to breathe. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is caused by chronic bronchitis or emphysema or a combination of the two. Emphysema is defined by anatomical changes in the lung and characterized by destruction of the tissue that makes up the walls of the air sacs, or alveoli, which results in over-inflation of the air sacs. Chronic bronchitis is defined by clinical symptoms and characterized by a daily cough and sputum production for 3 months or longer. Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of COPD, although not all smokers get COPD. COPD is irreversible; however, if a person stops smoking, the disease progression is slowed.
This condition is likely in any current or ex-smoker aged over 35 who has any combination of breathlessness, chest tightness, wheeze, sputum production, cough, frequent chest infections and reduced ability to exercise. Many patients with COPD also have asthma, but the pure form of the latter is different because it is reversible — that is it gets better and worse with time (asthma attacks) or can be reversed by bronchodilators. In particular, in COPD the cough tends to be persistent and productive of sputum, the shortness of breath gets steadily worse over years and — unlike asthma — patients do not feel worse at night. The term has come to include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic asthma, where the airflow into the lungs is obstructed.
Any of a group of debilitating, progressive, and potentially fatal lung diseases that have in common increased resistance to air movement, prolongation of the expiratory phase of respiration, and loss of the normal elasticity of the lung. The chronic obstructive lung diseases include emphysema, chronic obstructive bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, and asthmatic bronchitis. Taken together, they make up the fourth most common cause of death in the U.S.
Family of breathing disorders most commonly contracted from smoking; includes emphysema and bronchitis.
The term “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” (COPD) encompasses a group of persistent lung conditions, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. COPD is used to describe a cluster of chronic respiratory disorders characterized by persistent airway obstruction and breathing difficulties. Chronic bronchitis involves inflammation and excessive mucus production in the bronchial tubes, leading to a persistent cough and difficulty in clearing the airways. Emphysema, on the other hand, involves the destruction of lung tissue and the loss of elasticity, which impairs the ability of the lungs to expand and contract effectively. Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease, causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. COPD requires comprehensive management strategies, including medication, lifestyle modifications, and pulmonary rehabilitation, to improve symptoms and slow down disease progression.
A fusion of two lung conditions, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, leads to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which significantly constrains the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Bronchitis prompts inflammation and constriction of the airways, whereas emphysema leads to harm in the alveoli (minute air sacs) within the lungs, impairing their capacity to efficiently transfer oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream.
Smoking stands as the primary instigator of COPD. Atmospheric pollution also plays a role, while workplace exposure to particulates and specific irritants can exacerbate pre-existing COPD conditions.
Certain individuals affected by this condition, referred to as “pink puffers,” manage to sustain sufficient oxygen levels in their bloodstream by augmenting their breathing rate. Nonetheless, they experience nearly constant breathlessness. On the other hand, there are those known as “blue bloaters,” characterized by cyanosis, a bluish skin and mucous membrane discoloration, along with occasional edema, which is fluid accumulation in tissues. This phenomenon often arises from heart failure stemming from the lung impairment.
COPD can be identified through the symptoms and a physical examination.
Confirmation of COPD diagnosis involves techniques like pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays, and CT scans.
Existing lung damage is irreversible, yet it’s imperative for the individual to cease smoking promptly to avert additional harm. Moreover, efforts should be made to reduce exposure to smoke, pollution, dust, humidity, and cold.
Pharmaceutical management of COPD could encompass bronchodilator drugs, which expand airways, diuretic drugs to alleviate excess fluid, and antibiotic drugs to address chest infections. In some cases, oxygen therapy might be required to alleviate profound breathlessness.