COPD, also known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a chronic medical condition that triggers extensive damage to the lungs, interfering with its functioning. In COPD, the lungs and the air sacs or the alveoli undergo severe inflammation that gives rise to a host of complications including wheezing, shortness of breath and other related breathing troubles. While an early medical assistance is instrumental in proper management and treatment of COPD, in most cases, the associated symptoms and discomfort appear at a later stage (when the lungs have already undergone damage and inflammation). Thus, a proper awareness about COPD is necessary. In this article, we will discuss some important points related to COPD to help people understand the condition better.

While there can be a plethora of triggers, two of the medical conditions that elevate the incidence of COPD are Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema. The bronchial tubules functions as a carrier transporting the air (oxygenated and deoxygenated) from the lungs to the different body parts and vice versa. 

In case of Chronic Bronchitis, the lining of these tubules undergo severe inflammation. 
In the case of Emphysema, the inner walls of the alveoli may rupture resulting in deleterious consequences including breathlessness.
For long people were of the opinion that COPD only affects people who smoke. However, various surveys suggest that COPD does affect non-smokers as well. While smoking does make a person more susceptible to the condition (COPD as well as Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema), other factors such as chronic and severe neonatal lung ailments or prolonged exposure to the harmful gases and lung irritants can also act as triggers.

Though the incidences of COPD are relatively higher in people above 45 years, the young adults or the middle-aged can also be affected. Also, COPD is not limited to males and can affect females as well. Some of the symptoms associated with COPD include chest tightness, wheezing, breathlessness, chronic cough (often with mucus). These symptoms are quite similar to those of Asthma with people often confusing between the conditions. Thus, a proper diagnosis is vital. Spirometry is a lung test used in the diagnosis of COPD. This test evaluates the functioning of the lungs by measuring the amount of air inhaled and exhaled.

When we talk about the treatment or management of COPD, quitting smoking does improve the condition. For people with breathing troubles and chronic cough, the Bronchodilators (can be long-acting or short-acting Bronchodilators depending on the extent of the discomfort) comes as a great relief. The use of corticosteroids (inhaled) can go a long way to alleviate the inflammation of the airways.

In extreme cases with reduced oxygen reaching the blood, a person may need Oxygen Therapy to improve the condition. Of late the Pulmonary rehabilitation program have been benefiting people in dealing with COPD better. The program involves an amalgamation of counselling sessions to educate the people about the diet and nutrition, precautions to be followed along with some healthy lifestyle changes.

COPD - Things You Must Always Remember!

Pulmonary hypertension mainly occurs due to narrowing of the arteries of the lungs as a result of which the flow of blood is restricted. In this kind of condition, blood fails to carry oxygen to your heart and thus your heart gets adversely affected. The blood pressure of your body will get increased to a great extent if this situation remains untreated, thus leading to bdreadful consequenses, specifically situation like heart failure, serious pulmonary diseases, blood clots in lungs and congenial heart defects, etc.

There are certain forms of pulmonary hypertension, which are serious in nature and worsen with time, so much so that they are even fatal at times. It also includes forms which are non curable in nature, however, in order to improve the quality of life, symptoms can be reduced with proper treatment. The treatment for pulmonary hypertension is often complex and it takes some time to find the most appropriate treatment and requires extensive follow-up care. Your doctor might also need to change your treatment if it's no longer effective. However, when pulmonary hypertension is caused by another condition, your doctor will treat the underlying cause whenever possible.

Common treatments for pulmonary hypertension:

Medications

1. Blood vessel dilators (vasodilators): vasodilators open narrowed blood vessels. They are one of the most commonly prescribed vasodilators for pulmonary hypertension is epoprostenol (flolan, veletri). The drawback to epoprostenol is that the effect lasts only for few minutes. This drug is continuously injected through an intravenous (iv) catheter via a small pump that you wear in a pack on your belt or shoulder.

2. Ventavis: another form of the drug, iloprost (ventavis), can be inhaled six to nine times a day through a nebulizer, a machine that vaporizes your medication. Because it's inhaled, it goes directly to the lungs.

3. Treprostinil (tyvaso, remodulin, orenitram): it is another form of the drug, which can be given four times a day and can be inhaled or can be taken as an oral medication and can also be administered through injection.

4. Endothelin receptor antagonists: these medications reverse the effect of endothelin, a substance in the walls of blood vessels that causes them to narrow. These drugs may improve your energy level and symptoms. However, these drugs shouldn't be taken if you're pregnant. Also, these drugs can damage your liver and you may need monthly liver monitoring.

6. Sildenafil and tadalafil: sildenafil (revatio, viagra) and tadalafil (cialis, adcirca) are sometimes used to treat pulmonary hypertension. These drugs work by opening the blood vessels in the lungs to allow blood to flow through more easily.

6. High-dose calcium channel blockers: these drugs help relax the muscles in the walls of your blood vessels. They include medications, such as amlodipine (norvasc), diltiazem (cardizem, tiazac, others) and nifedipine (procardia, others). Although calcium channel blockers can be effective, only a small number of people with pulmonary hypertension respond to them.

7. Soluble guanylate cyclase (sgc) stimulator: soluble guanylate cyclase (sgc) stimulators (adempas) interact with nitric oxide and help relax the pulmonary arteries and lower the pressure within the arteries. These medications should not be taken if you're pregnant. They can sometimes cause dizziness or nausea.

8. Anticoagulants: your doctor is likely to prescribe the anticoagulant warfarin (coumadin, jantoven) to help prevent the formation of blood clots within the small pulmonary arteries. Because anticoagulants prevent normal blood coagulation, they increase your risk of bleeding complications. Take warfarin exactly as prescribed, because warfarin can cause severe side effects if taken incorrectly. If you're taking warfarin, your doctor will ask you to have periodic blood tests to check how well the drug is working. Many other drugs, herbal supplements and foods can interact with warfarin, so be sure your doctor knows all of the medications you're taking.

9. Digoxin: digoxin (lanoxin) can help the heart beat stronger and pump more blood. It can help control the heart rate if you experience arrhythmias.

10. Diuretics: commonly known as water pills, these medications help eliminate excess fluid from your body. This reduces the amount of work your heart has to do. They may also be used to limit fluid buildup in your lungs.

11. Oxygen: your doctor might suggest that you sometimes breathe pure oxygen, a treatment known as oxygen therapy, to help treat pulmonary hypertension, especially if you live at a high altitude or have sleep apnea. Some people who have pulmonary hypertension eventually require continuous oxygen therapy.

Surgeries

1. Atrial septostomy: if medications don't control your pulmonary hypertension, this open heart surgery might be an option. In an atrial septostomy, a surgeon will create an opening between the upper left and right chambers of your heart (atria) to relieve the pressure on the right side of your heart.

2. Lung transplantation: in some cases, a lung or heart lung transplant might be an option, especially for younger people who have idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Reducing complications

1. The complications need to be reduced by taking proper health care. Healthy diet needs to be taken regularly along with proper medications. Smoking should be stopped and exercising sessions should be attended daily without any fail

2. Overweight or obesity needs to be controlled properly for reducing the complications. Specialized caring strategies need to be maintained for avoiding severe kinds of health complications that are quite annoying.

Pulmonary Hypertension: How to Treat It?

Spirometry is a common medical test that is conducted in order to detect whether your lungs are working properly. This is done by detecting the amount of air you can inhale and exhale along with the time taken to complete both of these procedures. Spirometry is useful to diagnose any underlying medical condition like asthma, Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary Disease, persistent coughing or problem during breathing. If you are receiving treatment for chronic lung disorder, spirometry is also useful to check whether or not your lungs are responding to the specific kind of treatment.

Procedure: The process of spirometry involves the use a mouthpiece and a tube adjoined with a machine which displays the recorded results. Before the onset of the procedure, which generally takes place in a hospital, you will be prescribed by the doctor to wear comfortable clothing which will not restrict your normal breathing process and will be asked to have a light meal before the procedure. The procedure will be conducted while you are sitting. 

Spirometry takes an estimated amount of 15 minutes to get over with. The nurse will put a clip on your nose in order to close your nostrils. After that, you have to take a deep breath and then breathe out as hard as possible on the tube for a few seconds. You have to make sure that there's no air leakage during this procedure by putting your lips tightly over the tube. In order to arrive at a stable result, you have to conduct the test three times at least. If the results are hugely diverse, then you have to take the test again. The highest result among the three tests is usually denoted as the ultimate test result.

Risks: Spirometry is generally a low-risk inducing procedure. But in some cases, it might cause loss of breath, moments after the procedure. Also, spirometry should not be conducted if the patient has recently had a heart attack or surgery of the eye, abdomen or chest. If you are suffering from vomiting tendencies and you have regular instances of blood in your cough, you should also avoid spirometry.

The Procedure and Risks of Spirometry

Copd, which is short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a severe form of lung disease that is characterized by increased breathlessness and obstruction of airflow from the lungs. People who are suffering from copd are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, heart diseases and many other conditions. It includes progressive lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, few forms of bronchiectasis and refractory (non-reversible) asthma. The former two are the most common conditions contributing to copd. 

Chronic bronchitis induces inflammation in the airway that carries air to the lungs and fills it with mucus. This either completely blocks the airway or narrows it, causing difficulty in breathing. However in emphysema, the air sacs inside the lungs which inflate and deflate as you breathe in and out, lose their elasticity due to which less air comes in and goes out leaving you breathless.

The best way to treat copd is to quit smoking. Your doctor may also prescribe you medications or ask you to enroll in a lung rehab program. 
Causes:
1. Smoking
Smoking is one of the most common causes of copd. This is because smoking is known to destroy the stretchy fibers in people's lungs and irritate the airways. Even passive smoking is unhealthy. About 90% of the people having copd are current or former smokers. 
2. Genetics
Some individuals suffer from copd even after refraining from smoking. Genes might be at the helm of copd in such a case. Aatd i. E. Alpha -1 antitrypsin deficiency, is a protein in the lungs, the lack of which is one of the most common genetic factor causing emphysema. 
3. Environmental factors
Breathing in harmful pollutants present in your environment is also one of the causes of copd. Fumes, dust or certain chemicals are a few examples of harmful lung irritants. Organic cooking fuel may also cause copd. Exposing yourself to the aforementioned environmental factors for a prolonged period of time increases your risk of developing copd substantially. 

Symptoms:
1. Shortness of breath especially after exercising
2. Wheezing
3. Tightness in your chest
4. Unintended weight loss
5. Lack of energy
6. Frequent respiratory infections
7. Wheezing
8. Cough accompanied by mucus

Diagnosis:
1. Physical exam where your doctor monitors the functioning of your lungs. 
2. Questioning about your past health (smoking or other harmful lung irritants).
3. Spirometry and other breathing tests.
4. Chest x-rays and other tests to eliminate other problems which could be causing your symptoms.

All About COPD!

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is a highly prevalent lung disease. People affected by COPD suffer from difficulty in breathing which can hamper regular life to a considerable extent. Though there is no particular cure available for this condition so far, it can be essentially managed with lifestyle changes and proper treatments. This first step in the process is to quit smoking.

Which medicines are available for treating COPD?
Doctors use various medications for treating the symptoms and complications of this disease. Drugs that fall under any of the categories mentioned below, coupled with therapy sessions would be recommended.

Bronchodilators: These medicines which tend to come in the form of an inhaler help in relaxing the muscles around the airways. It can assist in relieving coughing and shortness of breath making it easier to breathe. You may need a short-acting bronchodilator to provide quick relief and a long-acting bronchodilator to use on a regular basis.
Combination inhalers: For those patients whose condition is severe and experience frequent flare-ups, combination inhalers are used. As the name implies, it is a combination of steroids and beta-agonist employed in the short or long acting bronchodilator. Your doctor might recommend this depending on your condition.
Theophylline: This class of medicine is quite inexpensive which is commonly used in the treatment of COPD and asthma. It can improve breathing while preventing flare-ups. But the side effects of this medicine are many and may include fast heartbeat, headache, nausea, and even tremor. Hence, your doctor might advise this medication only if it suits you.
Can lung therapies help in treating COPD?
Doctors often use additional therapies for the treatment of moderate to severe COPD:

Pulmonary rehabilitation program: These programs include exercise training, education, nutrition therapies and counseling. The affected person needs to work with the professionals who can tailor the rehabilitation program for meeting their specific needs. This treatment can shorten the duration of hospitalization and increase one s ability to take part in daily activities.
Oxygen therapy: If there is a lack of oxygen in the blood, you would need additional oxygen to supplement it. There are several types of equipment available in the market that can deliver oxygen to the lungs. Some of these are lightweight and portable which you may carry with you while running errands.
Is there any surgery available in the treatment of COPD?
Surgery may be the only option for people who have a severe form of COPD and emphysema. Some of the most common surgical interventions include bullectomy, lung transplant, and lung volume reduction surgery. There are individual risks and complications in each of these cases, and therefore, it is very important to manage the symptoms to avoid the need for surgical operations.

Thus, with caution and care, COPD can be managed effectively, and you may lead a normal life.


COPD- How Can It Be Treated?

A discomfort in chest accompanied by shortness of breath and a tingling sensation in fingers or toes might be a sign of hyperventilation, more commonly known as panic attacks. This is the condition wherein you need more amount of oxygen than normal.

And, you need to be aware of the symptom, especially if you are suffering from COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). With COPD, experiencing symptoms of hyperventilation may turn adverse, and there are enough reasons to know the ways to manage it, which is indeed possible.

Symptoms
Hyperventilating or over-breathing can be accompanied by or can cause various symptoms in people. Apart from the common symptoms described above, some patients may also experience dizziness, palpitations, sweating profusely, wheeze, feelings of suffocation or choking, tinnitus, weakness, etc. Some may also feel highly anxious or tensed. Though very uncommon, still, one may suffer from loss of consciousness as a result of hyperventilating.

Dealing with hyperventilation
Depending on the severity and type of hyperventilation, the available treatment option may vary from person to person. From various home remedies to certain prescribed drugs, treatments are available easily. However, it s through practicing a few techniques on noticing the symptoms that can help one deal with hyperventilation. Some of those useful methods are, breathing through pursed lips, holding the breath for 10 to 15 seconds, trying to take deep breaths into the belly rather than in the chest and breathing slowly into cupped hands or a paper bag. These techniques will help regulate the breathing.

Preventing hyperventilation



As with many conditions, being aware of the preventive measures is crucial to managing the symptoms and the same is true with hyperventilation as well. A few measures to follow by COPD patients to prevent hyperventilation
Wearing tight fitting clothes restrict normal breathing. Therefore, wearing clothes that are loose on the upper chest portion can assist in preventing over breathing.
Opting for light exercises regularly (approved by the doctors, as having COPD needs extra attention in activities) helps in reducing stress levels and anxiety, which again can play a crucial role in preventing hyperventilating.
Though initially, it may be difficult, still, one must try to breathe through his or her nose and close the mouth for preventing over-breathing, as closed mouth makes it extremely difficult to hyperventilate.
Further, sleeping well during the night, eating a balanced diet, reducing the intake of caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee, and practicing various techniques for relaxation can be helpful too in preventing hyperventilation.
In case, the episodes of hyperventilation last for more than 30 minutes, even after trying all the techniques mentioned above, one should not delay in seeking necessary medical attention.
Growing episodes of hyperventilation or over-breathing can leave one feeling breathless. Therefore, when people with COPD notice any symptom of hyperventilation, consulting with pulmonology specialist must be of top priority. Neglecting this particular condition for an extended period may end up causing further complications. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hyperventilation - How COPD Patients Can Deal With It?

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