COPD is a common lung disease that obstructs the airways, making breathing difficult.
COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. · Chronic means it won't go away. Obstructive means partly blocked. · Pulmonary means in the lungs. · Disease means sickness.
COPD is similar to asthma, but it is not the same disease. The only way to be sure you have COPD rather than asthma is to have a breathing test called a spirometry test.
Treatments available for COPD concentrate on slowing the disease progression, controlling the symptoms & reducing complications. Click here to read about types of treatments.
Most cases of COPD result from the damage caused by smoking, or environmental pollution. However there is a rare genetic disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a small protein found in the body, which stops enzymes such as trypsin from doing damage to the body. If you are short of alpha-1 antitrypsin, the trypsin in your body will, over time, do damage to your lungs, and this damage can result in COPD.
When your COPD is under control, your symptoms will be more or less the same from day to day. When you are having an exacerbation, the symptoms will worsen, and these changes are often extremely rapid. You may experience:- Increased breathlessness; Wheezing; Chest tightness; Confusion; Increased cough, and excessive mucus when you cough; A change in the colour of your mucus; Fever; Excessive sleepiness, (as known as somnolence), this is a sign of a possibly fatal carbon dioxide intoxication; Blue lips or fingernails. Exacerbations can be life-threatening, and you are likely to need immediate medical assistance. COPD is a progressive disease, which means it gets worse over time. Usually these changes are gradual, but sometimes they happen very quickly, and this is known as an exacerbation.
If you have been diagnosed with COPD and you experience confusion or excessive sleepiness, you should seek emergency care immediately. These are signs that the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood are dangerously high, and could be fatal. For this reason, you will need help from a carer, friend, relative or neighbour who can stay with you until you receive medical assistance.
There are a lot of things you can do to reduce the risks of having an exacerbation, such as avoiding pollution, making sure the air quality in your house is good, and avoiding things that might irritate your lungs such as chemicals or tobacco smoke.
You should eat sensible, healthy food that is freshly prepared to ensure that you stay in good health. Many people with COPD find that breathing becomes more difficult if they eat a heavy meal, so try to eat 'little and often' throughout the day. If you are losing weight you should try vitamin fortified high protein drinks. These are available from pharmacies. Try to cut down on caffeine-containing drinks (tea and coffee) if you are having difficulty sleeping.
Walking, dancing, stretching exercises are all good forms of exercise for COPD patients. Before you start an exercise programme you should think carefully about whether you are exposing yourself to pollution. For example, if you are going for a walk, make sure it is not by the side of a polluted road, and if you are going dancing, check that the venue will be a non-smoking one. Your doctor will want to do spiroergometry tests before you start an exercise programme. This involves using a specially adapted exercise bicycle, while measurements are taken of how much oxygen is used, how much carbon dioxide is emitted, as well as measurements such as heart rate.
Checking mucus. You should spit the mucus into a piece of tissue. Healthy mucus should be transparent, perhaps with a slightly creamy tinge. If it is yellow, green or red, this could be a sign of infection, and you should see your doctor.