COPD
Causes
Complications
Occupational exposure
cigarrette smoke exposure
Indoor air pollution
Outdoor air pollution
Lung cancer
High BP
Heart problems
Depression
Increased risk of respiratory infection
Pathophysiology
Airways in your lungs become inflamed and thicken
-Tissue where oxygen is exchanged is destroyed
-flow of air in and out of lungs decreases
Results in less oxygen distributed to body tissues and increased levels of Carbon dioxide
Tests
Assessment
Treatments
-at home noninvasive ventilation therapy
-surgery
-oxygen therapy or pulmonary rehabilitation programs
-quitting smoking
medications include:
-short acting bronchodilators (albuterol)
-corticosteroids
-long acting bronchodilators
-methylxanthines
-and combination drugs
-Chest X-ray
-CT scan
-Arterial blood gas analysis
-pulmonary function test
Assess for:
-barrel chest
-wheezing during normal breathing
-decreased breath sounds or abnormal breath sounds