USQ NUR2101: COPD Pathophysiology, Symptoms, Management Strategies

This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including its pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, and management strategies. The document explains how COPD causes blocked airways, leading to shortness of breath and potentially right-sided heart failure. It details common risk factors such as smoking, fumes, and infections, and describes the impact of the disease on the lungs and heart. The assignment also explores various management strategies, including nutritional adjustments (e.g., incorporating healthy fats and fiber), exercise, and preventative measures like vaccinations and smoking cessation. Relevant citations support the information. The assignment is aligned with the NUR2101 course and the Smarthinking feedback task response sheet, where a brief search on the chronic condition of the chosen patient is conducted and the impact of this condition is discussed in relation to their developmental stage. The assignment also discusses the patient’s chronic condition and the developmental stage of the chosen patient and includes at least 1 in-text citation following USQ APA guidelines.

DESCRIPTION OF COPD PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Shortness of breath,
• Chest tightness
• respiratory infections
• chronic cough
• fatigue or inability to exercise
• swollen ankle
• wheezing
• These signs and symptoms are also associated
with right sided heart failure.
FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE
VACCINATIONS
REFERENCE:
• Three common management strategies for management of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease
• Nutritional management:
• The nutritional management can be done through incorporation of
mono- and poly-unsaturated fats such as corn oils since it reduces the
ability to develop cholesterol. Sodium can be eliminated for keeping
the heart healthy by lowering blood pressure. Consuming 20 to 30
grams of fibre each day such as milk, eggs, cheese, meat, fish,
poultry and nuts. A good source of protein at least twice a day to help
maintain strong respiratory muscles (Numata et al., 2018). The
exercise can be an effective strategy in combination with the physical
strategy.
• Prevention of complication:
• In order to prevent complication of COPD and right sided heart
failure, it is recommended to avoid anything that can induce
inflammation such as dust, cigarette smoke. It is recommended to quit
smoking and other tobacco products. The flue vaccination and
vaccination for pneumonia must be provided for preventing infection
associated with COPD (Rasouli et al. 2016).. The anxiety
associated with COPD can be prevented through counselling.
• Options for relieving symptoms:
• The shortness of breath can be released by bronchodilator so that
patient can inhale without any obstruction (Yon et al., 2017) .
• .
. Yon, D. K., Jee, H. M., Ha, E. K., Lee, S. J., Jung, Y. H., Lee, K. S., & Han, M. Y. (2017). Small airway
bronchodilator response to different doses of salbutamol in 7-year-old children. Respiratory
research, 18(1), 148. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-017-0632-8
Numata, T., Nakayama, K., Fujii, S., Yumino, Y., Saito, N., Yoshida, M., ... & Yanagisawa, H. (2018). Risk
factors of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients with asthma and COPD. BMC pulmonary
medicine, 18(1), 4.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12890-017-0570-8
Www.aihw.gov.au. (2020). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), COPD - Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare. Retrieved 18 March 2020, from
https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/copd/contents/copd
Description of COPD:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
considered as the collection of lung diseases that cause
blocked airways and make breathing difficult. Hallmark sign
of is shortness of breath Chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease. In Australia, Australian are estimated to experience
moderate to severe COPD, accounting for approximately
4.8% of the total Australian population aged 45 years
(Www.aihw.gov.au., 2020). The right sided heart failure is
common amongst patients with COPD. Common risk factors
for COPD include fumes and dust in the workplace, smoking
cigarette, childhood respiratory infections, asthma, industrial
chemicals, cooking fumes or heavy air pollutants and genetic
factors (Tuttle et al. 2016). Since the lungs of the patient
affected due to COPD, it has a direct impact on the right-
sided heart failure
:
• Due to the presence of risk factors discussed above,
the airways and lining of lungs become damaged
and inflamed (Wang, Ni & Liu, 2016).
• The inflamed airways resulted in narrowed air
passage that hindered adequate oxygen inhale and
exhale and patients experience shortness of breath.
• Insufficient oxygen inside the vessels of lungs due to
COPD induces pulmonary hypertension since blood
pressure quickly augmented in the arteries of the
lungs.
• Pulmonary hypertension triggers excessive stress on
the right ventricle of the heart as it works to pump
blood through the lungs. Consequently, heart
muscles weaken which give rise to right-sided heart
failure (Ko et al., 2016).
(Tuttle et al. 2016).
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
1. https
://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic
les/PMC4106574
/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc
Www.aihw.gov.au., 2020).