COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Case Study 2022

Running Head: Case Study
Case Study of a COPD patient
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

Case Study of a COPD patient1
Introduction
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is the disease which restricts the
airflow in the respiratory tract of a human, and this condition is not fully reversible.
Restricted airflow can cause inflammation in the airways and pulmonary vasculature (Barnes,
2016). The pulmonary peripheral airways are narrowed down, and the alveoli are destroyed.
The parenchymal destruction causes shortness of breath. Smoking cigarettes, air pollution,
exposures to the pollutants due to occupational and environmental factors are the major
causes of this disease. Seven million Australians are affected by chronic respiratory distress
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018). COPD is the fifth leading disease for
death among the Australians (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018). COPD
causes the highest percentage of the total burden of all respiratory conditions in Australia
(Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018).
Background
I am John, an aboriginal elder person affected by the COPD. I am74 years old and live
in Queensland. I went to a reputed healthcare centre with my wife. My wife Sarah told the
doctor that I had been suffered from shortness of breath and the fever. I was also
suffered from cardiac pain so that we decided to visit the clinic. Sarah went to the clinic with
premedical history. I had to face cardiac failure, which reflected in my premedical history.
The heart failure was followed by myocardial infarction at the age of 68 years. I was
suffering from hypertension and had undergone through surgery for appendectomy 8 months
ago. My mother was died after having myocardial infraction when she was 45. She was a
smoker and a patient of diabetes and hypertension. She was a single mother. I have a sister
who is three years younger than me. My sister lives in New South Wales and is a patient of
arthritis. I do not know about my father’s medical history. However, I can only remember

Case Study of a COPD patient2
that my father was an alcoholic. Therefore, my mother might be a sufferer of domestic
violence. Our father left us when I was just a five-year-old kid. I am married for 30 years. I
have three children who do not live with us. They live separately with their families.
I retired from an automobile company where I was posted as a Factory Supervisor. I
smoke 5 packs of cigarettes monthly. Before I had cardiac arrest, I used to smoke 20 packs
monthly. I drink alcohol on weekends or occasionally. My medication chart consists
furosemide 4mg daily, Metoprolol 50 mg B.D., Spironolactone 25 mg daily, Lisinopril 20 mg
B.D., Salmeterol/fluticasone 50/500 dry powder inhaler one puff B.D., Tiotropium DPI,
Albuterol/ipratropium MDI p.r.n. There are so many medicines so that my wife and I are so
confused which medication should I intake and when. I do not know if I have allergies in
some substances.
After I went to the clinic, I was checked, and my vital signs were noted down. My documents
consist the following information;
Blood pressure: 130/84
Pulse rate: 80
Respiratory rate: 35
Temperature: 40.5 C
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 85 kg
BGL: 9.2 mmol/L
I was unable to speak properly, and wheezing can be heard by the doctors while they
were assessing me. My nails were clubbed and stained. When Sarah was asked whether I had