The document defines COPD as a serious lung disease that makes breathing difficult over time. It can be caused by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke, environmental factors, or genetics. Symptoms include cough, fatigue, respiratory infections, and shortness of breath. COPD is diagnosed through spirometry testing and imaging tests. While there is no cure, treatment focuses on stopping smoking, using medications to relieve symptoms and prevent worsening, oxygen therapy for severe cases, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Preventing smoking is key to avoiding most COPD cases.

1. UNIVERSIDAD TECNICA DE MACHALA
ACADEMIC UNIT OF CHEMICAL
SCIENCES AND HEALTH
MEDICINE SCHOOL
ENGLISH
COPD
STUDENTS
William Cruz
Kevin Herrera
Jorge Pacheco
Angie Chamba
Sonia Quijilema
TEACHER:
Mgs. Barreto Huilcapi Lina Maribel
CLASS:
EIGHTH SEMESTER ‘’A’’
Machala, El Oro
2018

2. COPD
Definition
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious lung disease that, over time,
makes it difficult to breathe. You may also have heard that COPD is called by other names,
such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people who have COPD, the airways (tubes
that carry air in and out of the lungs) are partially blocked, making it difficult to get air in
and out. The alveoli of the lungs may also lose their elasticity and shape.
If COPD is severe, shortness of breath and other symptoms can interfere, even with the
most basic activities, such as doing light housework, walking, and even bathing and
dressing.
Etiology
There are many factors that cause COPD, although the cause
The most common is cigarette smoke. Environmental factors and genetics can also cause
this disease.
For example, prolonged exposure to certain powders in the work, chemicals and
contaminated air in closed environments and open can contribute to COPD. The reason is

3. not clear why some smokers never have it and some people who never smoked yes. It is
likely that the factors Hereditary (genetic) influences who develops COPD.
The "airways" are tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs, through the nose and mouth.
The airways and alveoli of the lungs are elastic when they are healthy; that is, they return to
their original shape after being stretched or filled with air, just as a new elastic band or
balloon does. This elastic quality helps maintain the normal structure of the lung and helps
quickly move the air in and out.
In people with COPD, the alveoli no longer regain their original shape. The airways may
also swell or thicken more than normal, and mucus production may increase. The airways,
now loose, are blocked or obstructed, which makes it even more difficult for air to escape
from the lungs.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms can include any of the following:
 Cough with or without phlegm
 Fatigue
 Many respiratory infections
 Respiratory difficulty (dyspnea) that worsens with mild activity
 Difficulty to take air
 Wheezing
Because COPD symptoms occur slowly, some people may not know they have the disease.
Diagnosis
The best test for COPD is a pulmonary function test called spirometry. This consists of
blowing as hard as you can into a small machine that evaluates lung capacity. The results
can be analyzed immediately. Using a stethoscope to listen to the lungs can also help.
However, sometimes the lungs sound normal even when a person has COPD.
Imaging tests of the lungs can be ordered as x-rays and CT scans. The lungs may look
normal even when a person has COPD when a chest x-ray is used. A CT scan usually
shows signs of COPD.

4. Sometimes, a blood test called arterial blood gas can be carried out to measure the amounts
of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
Treatment
There is no cure for COPD. However, there are many measures that can be taken to
alleviate the symptoms and prevent the disease from getting worse.
If you smoke, now is the time to stop smoking. This is the best way to reduce lung damage.
Medications used to treat COPD include:
 Quick-relief medications to help open the airway
 Control drugs, to reduce lung inflammation
 Anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling in the respiratory tract
 Certain antibiotics for a long time
In severe cases or during exacerbations, it may be necessary to receive:
 Steroids taken orally or through a vein (intravenously)
 Bronchodilators through a nebulizer
 Oxygen therapy
Assistance of a machine to help with breathing using a mask or endotracheal tube
Your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics during flare-ups of symptoms, because
infections can make COPD worse.
Oxygen therapy in the home may be necessary if you have a low level of oxygen in the
blood.
Pulmonary rehabilitation does not cure COPD. However, it can teach you more about the
disease, train your breathing in a different way so that you can remain active and feel better
and maintain your functioning at the highest possible level.
Prevention
The fact of not smoking prevents most cases of COPD. Ask your provider about smoking
cessation programs. There are also available medications that help you quit smoking.

5. Bibliography
 Peces-Barba G, Barbera JA, Agusti A, Casanova C, et al [Diagnosis and
management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: joint guidelines of the
Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Latin
American Thoracic Society (ALAT)] . Arch Bronconeumol 2008; 44 (5): 271-281.
 Rabe KF, Hurd S, Anzueto A, Barnes PJ, et al. Global strategy for the diagnosis,
management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: GOLD
executive summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007; 176 (6): 532-555.
 Celli BR, MacNee W. Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with
COPD: a summary of the ATS / ERS position paper. Eur Respir J 2004; 23 (6):
932-946.