Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD for short) is a chronic, progressive, partially reversible and that affects the lungs and its main features the destruction of their wells and the remaining commitment. It occurs more often in older men and smokers. People who have had tuberculosis can also develop the disease.
The main symptoms of the patients are to airflow limitation (incoming and outgoing air), especially during expiration, dyspnea (shortness of breath), the hiperinsulflação dynamic that leads to shortening of the muscle fibers of the diaphragm muscle fatigue, respiratory failure among others.
The main triggering factors of COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) are mainly related to smoking, followed by passive smoke exposure (person living with a smoker), exposure to dust for several years, environmental pollution, and even genetic factors in cases which proves the deficiency of enzymes related to the destruction of lung parenchyma (structures of the lungs)
Treatment
There are available in many countries standards for clinical treatment of COPD. We developed a new international consensus standard by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease - GOLD). This states that the goals of COPD treatment are:
• Prevent disease progression;
• Relieve the symptoms;
• Improve exercise tolerance and health status;
• Prevent and treat complications;
• Prevent and treat exacerbations;
• Reduce mortality.
A key step in treating COPD is to eliminate or further reduce lung irritation. The two most common irritants that contribute to the progression of COPD are cigarette smoking and environmental pollutants. The exposure to these risk factors should be reduced or eliminated.
It was demonstrated that the mere smoking cessation (and in some advanced cases of COPD therapy with oxygen) reduces mortality. People who stop smoking can slow the rate of decline in lung function, but can never regain lost already.
In addition to avoid the known risk factors, there are available pharmaceutical treatments for COPD and its most common symptoms. The most common treatments include:
Bronchodilators
Bronchodilators are considered the cornerstone of symptomatic treatment of COPD. The main groups of bronchodilators used in the treatment of COPD include:
• Anticholinergics: broncoconstrictora acting against the action of the parasympathetic nervous system, by blocking cholinergic receptors. This leads to bronchodilation;
• Beta Agonists (short or prolonged action) acting directly stimulating the beta2-receptors on airway smooth muscle, leading to bronchodilation. The beta2 (AB) are subdivided into two subcategories based on its duration of action (walking action - SABA - and prolonged action - LABA);
• Methylxanthines: theophylline, a bronchodilator of the oldest is the best known member of this class. It is most commonly prescribed as part of a combination therapy.
Corticosteroids
These anti-inflammatory drugs are used as maintenance therapy at the early stage of asthma. However, its habitual use in COPD is not usually recommended in treatment standards at lower stages of disease severity. The CSI (inhaled corticosteroids) can help patients with severe and very severe COPD who suffer from frequent exacerbations.
Prevention
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) usually comes slowly and silently. Initially, morning cough and expectoration characteristic of smoking, going unnoticed, but complaints are being increasingly intense: colds and flu are more common, such as feeling tired efforts to increasingly smaller. The air flow from the outside to the alveoli and those being going outwardly limited and, although not fully reversible, some measurements both at preventive or therapeutic, can greatly improve the quality of life of the patient. Ie, COPD is a chronic disease, but this does not mean that one should not act on it.

At the origin of COPD are factors that violently attack the lining of the bronchi. Particles, smoke and toxic gases can determine excessive tightening of the muscles surrounding the bronchi, and a damaging inflammatory reaction in the lung, contribute to the pathology. But it is recognized that in 90% of COPD is caused by cigarette smoke. Thus, the first preventive measure is precisely to stop smoking and avoid being in smoke environments. The first symptoms usually appear between 35 and 40 years, usually when a person smokes for over 20 years.

Cough and sputum are the first warning signs to which the patient should be aware of in order to decide whether or not to continue assaulting your lungs. Through suspected symptoms reported and according to the signals found on clinical observation of the patient, the physician may point to the possibility of COPD, although the diagnostic confirmation is made using an extremely simple, spirometry. To perform this test, the patient fills a deep breath and blows into a machine, as if to blow out the candles on a cake, that is, the greater volume of air in the shortest possible time. If the bronchial tubes are contracted, as in COPD, the volume of air leaving the first second is smaller.

As a chronic illness, treatment is limited to minimize the symptoms and slow progression. This is because, once installed, COPD remains for the rest of his life, always in the forward direction. The sooner it is diagnosed, the lower the hazards and, as such, will be least affected the quality of life.

SOS

The first thing is to stop smoking, as stated, to minimize aggression. In addition, the patient may take medications, preferably by inhalation, in order to decrease the inflammation and bronchoconstriction. These drugs fall into the family of bronchodilators and corticosteroids, but their take should always be supervised by a doctor. Antibiotics can be administered to combat bacterial respiratory infections, since the crisis of COPD are generally associated with these infections.

Besides quitting smoking, one should take into account other preventive actions, including taking the annual vaccine against influenza and pneumonia, avoid places too polluted, not making contact with people who have respiratory infections, avoid exposure to low temperatures without adequate protection or prevent radical changes in the environment, eg going from very cold to very hot without the necessary precautions

You can also relieve symptoms by performing pulmonary rehabilitation, from exercises that train the muscles, especially those of the lower and upper limbs, improving physical condition, thus reducing breathlessness during efforts. In more severe cases, the patient may need to receive oxygen through specific equipment, which can even be done at home. Oxygen therapy is used to correct the lack of oxygen in the blood, promoting a significant improvement in quality of life of individuals and providing performance gains of physical and intellectual activities, also extending the lifespan.