Is asthma a COPD?

While asthma can cause airway constriction and difficulty breathing, it is not categorized as a type of COPD. However, it is worth noting that asthma and COPD can coexist in some individuals.

COPD Risk Factors

Although tobacco smoking is the leading cause of COPD, other factors can also contribute to the development and severity of the disease. These factors include:

• Environmental exposures: Prolonged exposure to certain dust, chemicals, and air pollution can increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For example, people who work in occupations involving dust exposure, such as mining or construction, are at increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. People living in areas with high levels of air pollution, such as traffic or industrial emissions, are also at increased risk.
• Genetic factors: Some people are more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than others, even if they do not smoke or are not exposed to environmental pollutants. This is because inherited genetic defects can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

It is important to note that not everyone who smokes or is exposed to environmental pollutants will develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is because COPD is a complex disease that is caused by a combination of factors.

How Is COPD Diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by evaluating a patient’s symptoms and test results. Spirometry is the single most crucial test to identify chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a person, which is a breathing test (lung function test) that measures how much air you can breathe in and out. Spirometry can also show if your airways are narrowed. Additionally, a chest X-ray or CT scan can be used to detect COPD-related changes in the lungs. Once COPD is confirmed, your doctor may request further tests to assess your breathing during sleep and exercise, such as examining your oxygen saturation levels.

Complications of COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic disease that can lead to a number of complications, including:

• Respiratory Infections: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more susceptible to respiratory infections such as pneumonia and acute bronchitis.
• Respiratory failure: It is a severe complication that can occur in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It happens when the lungs can no longer provide enough oxygen to meet the body’s demands or effectively remove carbon dioxide from the bloodstream.
• Heart disease: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can increase your risk of developing heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.
• Cor Pulmonale: Cor pulmonale refers to a condition where the right side of the heart becomes enlarged and weakened due to underlying lung disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common cause of cor pulmonale.
• Pulmonary Hypertension: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can cause pulmonary hypertension, a condition characterized by increased blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. This also puts strain on the heart, leading to heart failure in severe cases.
• Lung cancer: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at a higher risk of developing lung cancer than people who do not have COPD. Approximately 1% of COPD patients develop lung cancer every year.
• Depression and Anxiety: Living with a chronic illness like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can significantly impact a person’s mental health. The limitations in physical activity, breathlessness, and the need for ongoing medical care can contribute to depression and anxiety.
• Muscle Weakness and Weight Loss: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to muscle wasting and weakness. In some cases, individuals with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may experience unintentional weight loss.

Treatment of COPD  

Treating COPD requires a careful evaluation by a doctor. The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of flare-ups, and improve the ability to exercise. Your doctor will consider different treatment options to help you, which may include:

1. Quit Smoking: It is the first and most crucial step in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in smokers.
2. Supplemental oxygen: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often results in low blood oxygen levels, for which a person may need oxygen.
3.  Vaccine: Two vaccines are vital for people with COPD: the flu and the pneumococcal. The flu vaccine helps protect against the influenza virus, a common cause of lung infections in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against the pneumococcus bacteria, a leading cause of pneumonia.
4.  Take medications: Medications are recommended to aid with COPD symptom relief. Medications for COPD are available in different forms, including inhalers.

Some common inhalers used in COPD are:

⇒ In addition to treating the symptoms, it is essential to maintain a healthy diet and physical fitness to enhance the quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. To create a thorough treatment plan for COPD, it is essential to involve participation in pulmonary rehabilitation programs. These programs aim to educate individuals on techniques for improving their breathing and conserving energy. Additionally, they guide on appropriate nutrition and exercise for managing COPD effectively. Community support groups can also be beneficial, as they offer access to information and the opportunity to connect with fellow chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and families to share experiences.

While quitting smoking, consistently using the medication, and engaging in pulmonary rehabilitation can lead to improvements in COPD symptoms, it is important to note that lung function may not fully recover from the damage that has been done.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can sometimes be treated with surgery. There are three main types of surgery for COPD:

• Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS): This surgery removes damaged air sacs from the lungs. This can help people with COPD breathe easier.
• Bullectomy: This is another option, primarily used for emphysema, where excessively enlarged air sacs press on healthy ones, hindering normal function. Bullectomy involves surgically removing giant bullae that occupy more than a third of the chest.
• Lung transplantation: This surgery replaces one or both lungs with a donor’s lung. This is a last resort for people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

However, it is important to note that not everyone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a good candidate for surgery. People with good overall health and who do not have other major health problems are more likely to be good candidates for surgery. Additionally, patients over the age of 70 may not be eligible for lung transplantation due to lower success rates.

How Can COPD Be Prevented?  

The best way to prevent COPD is to never smoke and to quit smoking if you already do. Many programs and resources are available to help you quit smoking, and your doctor can help you choose one.  It is important to avoid secondhand smoke, which refers to the smoke that comes from cigarettes, cigars, or pipes when someone is smoking. It can also be the smoke that a smoker has exhaled.

When should you seek medical attention?  

You should reach out to your doctor in the following conditions:

• Shortness of breath: If you have new or worsening shortness of breath. You should provide detailed information about the onset, duration, and factors that makes it better or worse.
• Fatigue: If you have unexplained fatigue that persists, you should tell your doctor when the fatigue started, how long it has lasted, and what helps or hinders it.
• Cough: It is crucial to promptly contact your doctor if you observe any changes in your sputum and experience persistent, severe cough or coughing episodes that cause you to faint.

Tips for people with COPD

If you have COPD, there are important things to consider to manage your shortness of breath:

• Take your medications consistently.
• Talk to your doctor if you don’t think the drug reduces your shortness of breath, but don’t stop taking it.
• Start a workout regimen to increase your strength.
• Learn timed breathing and how to breathe more effectively through exercises.
• If you feel any abrupt shortness of breath, you can use rescue inhalers as advised by your healthcare practitioners.
• Consult your healthcare professional to manage chronic heartburn or regular nasal congestion better.
• If you smoke, stopping will help you control disease and enhance the quality of your sleep.

Questions for your doctor

1. How is the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease monitored, and when is it necessary to consider a change in treatment?
2. What steps should I  take during an exacerbation or emergency?
3. Am I using my inhaler correctly?
4. How can I tell if my inhaler is empty?
5. Which foods should COPD patients avoid?
6. Are there any recent advancements or research in COPD treatment?
7. Are there alternative or complementary therapies that can assist in managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms?
8. What is the prognosis of COPD?
9. Can my children inherit chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
10. Is it safe for me to have pets if I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

References

1. https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/signs-symptoms-of-COPD.pdf
2. https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/copd-intro.pdf
3. https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/surgery-for-COPD.pdf
4. https://www.thoracic.org/statements/resources/copd/prevention-copd-exacerbations.pdf
5. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/respiratory/index.htm
6. http://www.copdfoundation.org/What-is-COPD/UnderstandingCOPD/What-is-COPD.aspx
7. https://perfandwind.org/
8. https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/39/5/1230