COPD makes it hard to breathe, which can make it hard to get enough exercise. Being inactive can lead to bone and muscle loss and increase your risk for other health problems. Certain COPD medicines can increase your risk for other conditions such as bone loss, heart conditions, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Symptoms include cough, sometimes with phlegm, difficulty breathing, wheezing and tiredness. Smoking and air pollution are the most common causes of COPD. People with COPD are at higher risk of other health problems.
The best interventions for COPD are smoking cessation to decrease damage, nebulizers, and inhalers to open the lungs and decrease inflammation, careful oxygen supplementation, and a BIPAP or CPAP to blow off built-up carbon dioxide from the body.
Smoking cessation continues to be the most important therapeutic intervention for COPD. Most patients with COPD have a history of smoking or are currently smoking tobacco products. A smoking cessation plan is an essential part of a comprehensive management plan.
Don't spend time around lung irritants.
Since people with COPD have more sensitive lungs, being around any type of irritant can make the condition worse. Avoid things like secondhand smoke, air pollution, dust and fumes from chemicals, paint or cleaning products, as well as mold and mildew.
Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can mean facing changes in ability to perform daily activities. Managing shortness of breath and fatigue from simple tasks like getting dressed is a reality for many. You might also find your mental health affected by your diagnosis.
COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of a slimy substance called mucus. It can also cause problems breathing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Symptoms of COPD often develop slowly but worsen over time, and they can limit your ability to do routine activities.
The main cause of COPD is tobacco smoke, so if you smoke or used to smoke, you are at a higher risk of having COPD. Exposure to air pollution in the home or at work, family history, and respiratory infections like pneumonia also increase your risk.
Main symptoms
Common symptoms of COPD include: shortness of breath – this may only happen when exercising at first, and you may sometimes wake up at night feeling breathless. a persistent chesty cough with phlegm that does not go away. frequent chest infections.
What is a Nursing Consideration? Although not a separate step in the nursing care plan, nursing considerations are the implications of the interventions a nurse is providing. Nursing considerations may take the form of assessments that must be done before an intervention can be performed.
A focused respiratory objective assessment includes interpretation of vital signs; inspection of the patient's breathing pattern, skin color, and respiratory status; palpation to identify abnormalities; and auscultation of lung sounds using a stethoscope.
Nurses should confirm that patients understand their medication regimen and are using their inhaled medications correctly. Bronchodilators. Bronchodilators, delivered via inhaler or nebulizer, are recommended for all patients with COPD to relieve shortness of breath.
Damage from COPD sometimes keeps the tiny air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli, from getting enough oxygen. That's called alveolar hypoxia. This kind of hypoxia can start a chain reaction that leads to low oxygen in your blood, or hypoxemia. Hypoxemia is a key reason for the shortness of breath you get with COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive condition, which means it gets steadily worse. Over time, the body becomes less able to take in enough oxygen. End stage COPD is the most severe stage. It can lead to death.
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and a significant cause of disability worldwide. Although the condition is serious, it is essential to understand that with the correct medication and treatment, people living with COPD can minimize their symptoms and the impact of the disease.
TRIGGER EXAMPLES
Wind, sudden changes in weather, and extreme temperatures (hot and cold) may trigger COPD symptoms. Sometimes people may have COPD, asthma or allergies. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to keep your asthma and allergies under control.
For many people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exposure to heat can trigger or worsen symptoms. This is as likely to happen in overheated rooms during the winter as it is during the height of summer, and the addition of humidity can exacerbate the effects.