Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assignment 2022

Running Head: CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Also denoted as COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an inflammatory and
respiratory disease that affects the lungs leading to interference with the airflow to and from the
lungs. The obstructed airway breathing and thus among the symptoms are coughing, wheezing
sound and also the passage of mucus and sputum. COPD presents itself in two primary forms,
and one includes chronic bronchitis which is characterized by persistent coughing with the
passage of mucus. The second type is emphysema which involves the damage of the air sacs
leading to a shortage of breaths and thus difficulty in breathing. A patient can have COPD
manifested in one form; however, a combination of both types affects the majority of the people.
To severe cases, COPD can lead to and increases the risk of heart diseases and lung cancer.
COPD’s leading cause is the inhalation of the particulate matter, either emission from the
factories, dust, chemicals, fumes, and cigarette smoking. The cigarette usage lays the most
dominating causative of COPD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 2012)). In
the exposure to the particulate matter, in this case, has to be in long time duration to the effect of
causing the development of the inflammatory lung disease. However, there are other factors that
can also cause COPD. Age, for instance, is one of them, here, COPD develops with aging and
thus people aged 40 years and above are at risk of COPD. Though in rare cases, COPD can also
be caused genetically through deficiency of the protein alpha-1-antitrypsin whose role is to
protect the lungs (Vestbo, et al., 2013).
After the diagnostic procedures of the COPD, which may include chest x-rays, scan and
even a series of laboratory tests, a patient can then start treatment (Vestbo, et al., 2013). It is
significant to note that COPD can be treated. Most common procedures of the ailment focus on
the management of the symptoms. Bronchodilators are one group of medication that can be

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prescribed to the patient that acts by opening the airway, making breathing easier. This type of
medicine comes in two main varieties; long-acting such as formoterol, arformoterol and
indacaterol just naming a few, then, the short-acting that include levalbuterol, albuterol and
ipratropium. The other type of medication prescribed is corticosteroids which are anti-
inflammatory, thus reduce the swelling, thus easing the airflow. Most common prescribed
corticosteroids include the budesonide and fluticasone that are inhalers and prednisolone in the
form of pills. There are those patients that simple corticosteroids and bronchodilators may not be
effective, and to such, methylxanthines are advocated. This medicine perceives two ways of
action, and that is, anti-inflammatory and dilation of the airway (Khdour et al., 2012).
Pharmaceuticals have it that methylxanthines such as theophylline which comes in the form of
pills or syrup have high efficacy. There is also a set of drugs that involves a combination of
different medicines. For instance, two bronchodilators such as glycopyrrolate and formoterol, or
a bronchodilator and a corticosteroid as it are in Advair which constitutes of salmeterol and
fluticasone (Dong et al., 2013). All these medications show side effects that include tremors,
increased heart rate and nervousness for bronchodilators; muscle weakness and weight loss for
corticosteroids are some of the side effects (López‐Campos et al., 2016). These effects all
interfere with the optimal physical exercise of the body. Thus, it is advised that upon the usage of
these medications, they are managed to avoid compromising the intensity intended for physical
activity
Beside medical practitioners, several comprehensive studies encourage the exercise since
it positively improves breathing. Moderating of physical activity can also be prescribed, but this
does not define inactivity for in such a case, the cardiovascular strength and performance
declines, making breathing extremely difficult. For these, there is a need to, therefore, define the