COPD… It Will Take Your Breath Away – Part 1
COPD is a lung disease that over time makes it hard to breathe. COPD (short for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Obstruction in COPD means that the flow of air in and out of the lungs is less than it should be. When that happens less oxygen gets into the body tissues and it becomes harder to get rid of carbon dioxide which is the waste gas. As the disease gets worse, it is harder to remain active due to shortness of breath. Most importantly, COPD can be prevented and can be treated.
With chronic bronchitis the lining of the breathing tubes become swollen and produces a lot of mucus that gets coughed up. With emphysema the walls of the air sacs in the lung are broken down and the air spaces get larger and air gets trapped. Some people have both chronic bronchitis and emphysema, so we now prefer to call the disease COPD.
According to the American Lung Association , COPD is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S.
What causes COPD?
- Smoking is the major cause of COPD. The poisons in cigarette smoke can weaken the lungs’ defense against infections, narrow air passages, cause swelling in air tubes and destroy air sacs. About 80-90% of all COPD is caused by cigarette smoking.
- Pollution in the air and irritating fumes and dusts, especially on the job, can also cause COPD.
- A small number of people have a rare form of COPD called alpha-1 (AAT) related emphysema. This form of COPD is caused by an inherited lack of a protective protein in the blood.
Rehab Home Health has a number of Specialty Programs that support particular health concerns including COPD. Contact us at 855-FLA-Nurse for more information.
