CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE

PULMONARY DISEASE !!!!

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD) refers to a group
of lung diseases that block airflow
and make breathing difficult.
Damage to your lungs from COPD
CANT BE REVERSED!!!
Emphysema and chronic
bronchitis are the two most
common conditions that make up
COPD.

 EMPHYSEMA = destruction of the

fragile walls and elastic fibers of the
alveoli. Small airways collapse when
you exhale, impairing airflow out of
your lungs.

 CHRONIC BRONCHITIS = bronchial

tubes become inflamed and narrowed
and your lungs produce more mucus,
which can further block the narrowed
tubes.

5 Common Causes of COPD

1.Smoking. Cigarette smoke is by the far the
most common reason people get COPD. You can
also get it from tobacco products, like cigar and
pipe smoke, especially if you breathe in the
smoke.

2. Secondhand smoke. Even if you don't smoke

yourself, you can get COPD from living with a
smoker and breathing in smoke.

3. Pollution and fumes. You can get COPD

from air pollution. Breathing in chemical
fumes, dust, or toxic substances at work can
also cause it.

4. People with asthma who smoke.The

combination of asthma, a chronic airway
disease, and smoking increases the risk of
COPD even more

5. Your genes. About 3 in 100 people with COPD

have a defect in their DNA, the code that tells your
body how to work properly. This defect is called
alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency or AAT deficiency.
Your lungs don't have enough of a protein needed to
protect them from damage. This can lead to severe
COPD. If you or a family member had serious lung
problems -- especially at a young age -- you're more
likely to have AAT deficiency.

TEST AND DIAGNOSIS

Pulmonary function tests.Spirometry is the
most common lung function test. During this test,
you'll be asked to blow into a large tube
connected to a spirometer. This machine
measures how much air your lungs can hold and
how fast you can blow the air out of your lungs.
Spirometry can detect COPD even before you
have symptoms of the disease.