COPD is a serious lung disease that makes breathing difficult over time. The most common cause is cigarette smoke, but other environmental factors and genetics can also play a role. Symptoms include cough, fatigue, respiratory infections, and shortness of breath. A spirometry test is used to diagnose COPD by measuring lung capacity. While there is no cure, treatments can help alleviate symptoms and prevent further worsening through medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and smoking cessation.

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

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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

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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 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

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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.
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.

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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.
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.