The Sunday News
Lee Anne
ACCORDING to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) will be the third major leading cause of death in the world by 2030. This is a condition that mainly affects the lungs and thereby affect breathing. It is a progressive life threatening disease that people need to be aware of in order to prevent or manage it well.
Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is not one single disease but an umbrella term used to describe chronic lung diseases that cause limitations to the flow of air in the lungs. The more familiar terms “chronic bronchitis” and “emphysema” are no longer used, but are now included within the COPD diagnosis.
The most common symptoms of COPD are breathlessness, or a “need for air”, excessive sputum production, and a chronic cough. However, COPD is not just simply a “smoker’s cough”, but a under-diagnosed, life threatening lung disease that may progressively lead to death.
What are the Common causes of COPD??
1 Chronic cough — as we all know, cough is how the body clears the airways and lungs of mucus and unwanted irritants. Mucus is usually clear in colour, but in patients with COPD, it may appear to be yellow. The cough is often worst in the morning and more when one smokes or exercises.
2 Wheezing — this is the whistling or musical sound you hear when you exhale through narrow or obstructed air passages. In patients with COPD it is often caused by excess mucus blockage. Please note wheezing does not always mean you have COPD for this is also a symptom of asthma and pneumonia.
3 Fatigue — when one has difficulty breathing, it means they don’t get enough oxygen into their bloodstream and to their muscles. Without the necessary oxygen, the body eventually slows down and fatigue sets in.
4 Respiratory infections — since patients with COPD struggle to clear their lungs of bacteria, pollutants, dust and other irritants they are at a greater risk for lung infections such as colds, flu and pneumonia.
5 Weight loss
Main risk factors for COPD
Here are some risk factors to consider in order to avoid the disease and its implications.
Tobacco smoking
Indoor air pollution (such as biomass fuel used for cooking and heating)
Outdoor air pollution
Occupational dusts and chemicals (vapours, irritants, and fumes)
The primary cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is tobacco smoke (including second-hand or passive exposure).
WHO estimates that in 2005 5,4 million people died due to tobacco use. Tobacco-related deaths are projected to increase to 8,3 million deaths per year by 2030.
Other risk factors
The causes for COPD have opposite patterns according to the geographic areas. In high and middle-income countries tobacco smoke is the biggest risk factor, meanwhile in low-income countries exposure to indoor air pollution, such as the use of biomass fuels for cooking and heating, causes the COPD burden.
Almost 3 billion people worldwide use biomass and coal as their main source of energy for cooking, heating, and other household needs. In these communities, indoor air pollution is responsible for a greater fraction of COPD risk than smoking or outdoor air pollution. Biomass fuels used by women for cooking account for the high prevalence of COPD among nonsmoking women in parts of Africa. Indoor air pollution resulting from the burning of wood and other biomass fuels is estimated to kill two million women and children each year.
Other risk factors for COPD include occupational dusts and chemicals (such as vapours, irritants, and fumes) and frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood.
Grades of COPD
Grade 0 — Shortness of breath during or after strenuous exercise
Grade 1 — Shortness of breath when walking on a slight incline.
Grade 2 — Shortness of breath on level surfaces. And you have to stop to catch your breath.
Grade 3 — Shortness of breath after walking only for a few minutes on level surfaces.
Grade 4 — Shortness of breath with activities of daily living such as dressing and undressing.
Prevention and Management
Most cases of COPD are due to smoking. The best way to prevent COPD is to avoid or to stop smoking. Smoking damages the lung tissue and lowers lung functioning.
Again, people should avoid bad air. There are some airway irritants such as air pollution, dust and chemical fumes that also make COPD worse.
The goal of COPD management is to improve a patient’s quality of life, preserving optimal lung function and improving symptoms. Currently, no treatments apart from lung transplantation has shown to significantly improve lung function or decrease mortality.
Many patients get bronchodilators to help with airway dilation. Lastly, these patients are referred to Physiotherapy for breathing exercises.
Prevention and Management
Most cases of COPD are due to smoking. The best way to prevent COPD is to avoid or to stop smoking. Smoking damages the lung tissue and lowers lung functioning.
Again, people should avoid bad air. There are some airway irritants such as air pollution, dust and chemical fumes that also make COPD worse.
According to WHO estimates, 65 million people have moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
More than 3 million people died of COPD in 2005, which corresponds to 5 percent of all deaths globally. Most of the information available on COPD prevalence, morbidity and mortality comes from high-income countries. Even in those countries, accurate epidemiologic data on COPD are difficult and expensive to collect. It is known that almost 90 percent of COPD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
If you would like to know more please email me at [email protected], visit my blog
www.healthpromotionbyleeanne.wordpress.com or read articles posted by the World Health Organisation.
‘‘Take care of your busy body, you owe that to your family’’.
Lee-Anne Hall
BSc Physiotherapy
