What is the full form of COPD?

The full form of COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder. Breathing difficulties are a defining feature of COPD. This disorder progresses over time and gets worse. Around 2-3% of the world’s population suffers from COPD, and as pollution rises, the number of cases keeps rising..

Causes:

90% of COPD cases, according to researchers, are thought to be caused by inhaling chemical fumes and cigarette smoke. These irritants frequently lead to inflammation in the lungs and airways, which results in the destruction of lung tissue. The disorder has no known treatment. However, the symptoms can be managed. Although it is still unclear whether or not COPD is inherited, certain studies have shown that a genetic disorder where there is a deficit of alpha-1-antitrypsin predisposes a small number of people to COPD at a young age.

COPD presents a number of symptoms that are:

1. Cough with phlegm production as a result of irritants entering into airways. The cough doesn’t seem to go away and persists.
2. Patients suffer from wheezing.
3. Even with a little amount of exertion, the patient feels tired, and there will be shortness of breath.
4. The sputum tends to always remain, and the patient needs to spit it out in order to clear the throat and have clear breathing.
5. Fingernails turn bluish because of less supply of oxygen to the lungs.
6. Weight loss at later stages.
7. Patients are more susceptible to flu, coughs, and fever.
8. In later stages, patients present with swollen ankles and feet.

The primary symptom of COPD, a chronic lung condition, is restricted air flow to the lungs, which makes breathing difficult due to blockage. The patient’s inability to exhale fully suggests that air has become trapped in the lungs. Emphysema is what causes the airflow to be restricted (damage of alveoli resulting in shortness of breath).

Although breathing in irritants is the primary cause of COPD, any bacterial infection has the potential to exacerbate the inflammatory illness. Other causes can also harm the lungs, one of which is the oxidative stress brought on by smoking tobacco, which releases large amounts of free radicals into the already inflamed cells.

Emphysema is brought on by the connective tissue in the lungs losing its function, which leads to lungs being damaged and having inadequate airflow and absorption. Later on, when the patient experiences weight loss brought on by generalised muscle loss, this is because the lungs have released inflammatory mediators into the circulation. Due to the scarring and inflammation, the airways are constricted. As a result, the lungs get obstructed and are unable to exhale completely.

When breathing is not being done, airways are compressed to their fullest extent. Consequently, there would be a decrease in airflow. Since a complete exhalation is not possible, air from the previous breath will remain in the lung, increasing the amount of air in the lungs overall. The term for this is hyperinflation.

The doctor investigates the patient’s past to see whether they smoked or were frequently exposed to smoke or chemical fumes in the past when they complained of having trouble breathing.

There is a physical examination. Spirometry is the test used most frequently to diagnose COPD. In this test, the patient is instructed to blow air into a tube that is attached to a device that can gauge how much and how quickly the lungs can expel air.

Some cardiac conditions have symptoms that are comparable to COPD. The doctor will perform a few additional tests like a chest X-ray, CT scan, and MRI to rule out other lung conditions and distinguish COPD from heart problems. A few blood tests are also administered to the patient if the illness worsens in order to rule out anaemia and other conditions that could cause shortness of breath. Alpha-1-Antitrypsin (ATT) deficiency is also assessed using laboratory tests.

The patient’s first line of defence against harmful gases and smoke is to stop smoking and stay away from those locations. Although the disorder itself is not entirely curable, the symptoms can be managed with the right precautions, lifestyle changes, avoidance of aggravating causes, and medication. Depending on the patient’s condition, bronchodilators, antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and corticosteroids may be administered.