Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - COPD: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Airway disease: affects the airways or breathing passages that carry oxygen and other gases in and out of the lungs. They usually involve a narrowing or obstruction of the airways. The most common are: asthma, pulmonary emphysema, bronchiectasis and chronic bronchitis.
Lung tissue diseases affect the structure of the lung tissue. Inflammation of the lung tissue makes the lungs unable to expand fully, leading to restrictive lung disease. This causes difficulty for the lungs in taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, so patients are unable to take deep breaths. The most common diseases are pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis.
Diseases of the pulmonary circulation: they affect the pulmonary blood vessels, due to clotting or inflammation. They prevent oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release but can also affect cardiac activity. The most common disease is pulmonary hypertension.

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) belongs to the group of lung diseases and is characterized by breathing difficulties and obstruction of the bronchi. In severe cases it can lead to lung destruction. This non-reversible disease includes different pathologies:

Pulmonary emphysema.
Chronic bronchitis.
In some cases, long-term asthma involvement.

The main diagnostic procedure is a spirometry test.

What symptoms does it present?

In the early stages, the disease may have no or mild symptoms. However, as the disease worsens, the following symptoms usually appear:

Cough (with or without phlegm).
Fatigue or tiredness.
Recurrent respiratory infections.
feeling of pressure in the chest
Shortness of breath or dyspnea.
Difficulty inhaling air.
wheezing or whistling

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Causes of lung disease

The main cause of lung disease is related to exposure to irritants that injure the lungs and airways. The most common is tobacco smoke, when inhaled as an active or passive smoker. Other irritants include polluted air, chemical fumes or dust in the environment or at work.

How is COPD diagnosed?

The main diagnostic procedure is spirometry. This is a simple test that is usually performed on patients who are smokers and over 40 years of age, especially if they have respiratory problems. Other patients who undergo the test are those who have had continuous exposure to biomass degradation products, as well as those who present occupational risks.

Spirometry is usually accompanied by a nutritional evaluation test, chest X-ray or computed tomography and a blood test. A study of other diseases associated with COPD can also be carried out, such as:

Cardiovascular pathologies.
Lung cancer.
Diabetes.
Anxiety.
Depression.
Osteoporosis.
Ophthalmologic problems.

Can it be prevented?

The best way to prevent lung disease is to not smoke or to stop smoking before lung disease develops. If the patient already has lung disease, he/she should stop smoking immediately to prevent complications and delay the progression of the disease.

Exposure to the aforementioned irritants should also be avoided and strict adherence to treatments is recommended, as they will help the patient breathe better and feel more active.

Treatment of COPD

The basic objectives of the treatment of the lung disease are:

Relieve symptoms.
Delay the progression of the disease.
Improve the ability to stay active (by exercising).
Prevent and treat possible complications of the disease.
Improve the patient’s health.

In addition, the physician will recommend bronchodilators and even a combination of bronchodilators with inhalable glucocorticosteroids (steroids). There will also be cases in which pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, lung volume reduction surgery and even lung transplantation are recommended in the most severe cases.

Which specialist treats it?

The pulmonologist will be the specialist in charge of the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Index

What is lung disease?