CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE DEFINE 

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).COPD is defined as a serious condition that affects the human lungs and their capability to breathing.

First-person with COPD, complains about small damage to the airways and the respiratory tract which contains large airways known as bronchi and small airways bronchioles, etc.

After small damage symptoms start with a cough which further progresses into mucus to difficulty breathing.

The damage done by COPD is irreversible. But you can prevent it by some preventive measures to lower the risk of developing COPD.

Effect on lungs in COPD Define:-

COPD is Defined as several chronic lung diseases. But two main COPD conditions which affect the lungs more are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. 

This both condition leads to shortness or we can say difficulty in breathing.

To define COPD pathophysiology you first have knowledge about the anatomy of the respiratory system and the normal physiology of the respiratory system.

When you take air into the lungs, air passes through your trachea after then there are two tubes called bronchi. 

The bronchi are further divided into smaller tubes named bronchioles. At the distal end of the bronchioles, there are so many little air sacs known as alveoli. At the termination of alveoli, there are capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels.

The inhaled oxygen passes through the lungs to the bloodstream through these capillaries. and similarly, carbon dioxide passes through the blood into the capillaries and then into the lungs before it’s exhaled.

 

 

Emphysema is defined as:-

 A disease of the alveoli. In this disease, The fibers which make the walls of the alveoli become damaged. 

This damage causes reduce in the elasticity of the alveoli and make them unable to get into their original shape when you exhale, causes difficulty to exhale carbon dioxide out of the lungs. This leads to difficulty in breath

If there is any lung inflammation in the respiratory tract, leads results in bronchitis with a production of mucus. 

If bronchitis remains untreated for a long time patient can develop chronic bronchitis and also can have temporary bouts of acute bronchitis, but these episodes aren’t considered to be the same as COPD.

Causes of COPD Define:-

The most and primary cause of COPD is tobacco smoking. Inhalation or breathing in smoke and chemicals can cause damage to the respiratory tracts and breathing airways. Which can lead to COPD.

Prolong exposure to smoke,  chemicals, fumes from the gas burners for cooking in a less ventilated place can also result in COPD. 

Physical changes due to COPD Define:-

Symptoms of COPD are not prominent until the disease is more advanced stage. This mainly affects your lungs and causes difficulty in breathing sometimes shortness of breath, which also leads to physical exertion and lethargy to the patient.

If a person finds it difficult in breathing harder than usual after a common activity like climbing stairs person has to consult a doctor.  

Tests are mainly done to recognize a degree of respiratory health. to find out the condition such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

There is a production of mucus in bronchitis due to the production of mucus breathing becoming harder, and the bronchioles become inflamed and narrower or get shrunken.

Due to more mucus production in the respiratory tract, less oxygen is being inhaled. This leads to less oxygen supply to the capillaries for gas exchange in a person’s respiratory tract and lungs. And also less carbon dioxide is also being exhaled leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.

Coughing is the most common symptom to release mucus from the lung in COPD. If a person observes that he is producing more mucus and coughing then tests should be done by the doctor.

Progression of COPD Define:-  

As COPD progresses it define, many other health complications also which are given below.

With coughing, a person also observes wheezing when breathing. Production of mucus and the shrinking of the bronchioles and alveoli may lead to tightness in the chest. 

Less oxygen circulation in a person’s bloodstream can result in light-headedness or lethargy or fatigue. 

Loss of energy can be a symptom of  COPD but it may also be seen in many conditions. It may help determine the seriousness of your condition.

A person with advanced COPD can lead to weight loss also as a body needs more and more energy in comparison to normal conditions.

Prevention of COPD Define:-

First, you should never start smoking or if you smoke then you should stop as early as possible. 

as long as you go without smoking your chances are getting more and more stronger to the prevention of COPD.

Try to breathe as fresh air as possible and avoid doing work or go into an industrial area unless it is necessary.

Try to do exercise or running to maintain the lung’s health and to make the respiratory tract stronger.

If you go into an industrial area then try to wear a mask to protect your lungs from the chemical and fume inhalation.

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