Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases

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Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
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Two main Types Discussed Today

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Asthma

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COPD

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases include
• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis

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COPD Facts

• COPD claims the lives of nearly 120,000 Americans
  yearly.
• Annual costs to the nation exceed 30 billion.
• Approximately 80-90 of COPD cases are caused by
  smoking.
• A smoker is 10 times more likely than a
  non-smoker to die of COPD.
• Other causes are frequent lung infections and
  exposure to certain industrial pollutants.

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Chronic Bronchitis

• Is an inflammation and eventual scarring of
  lining of bronchial tubes.
• 8.8 million people were diagnosed with it in 2009
• Symptoms
• Chronic cough
• Increased mucus
• Frequent clearing of the throat
• Shortness of breath

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Emphysema

• Causes irreversible damage to lungs.
• How?
• The walls between the air sacs within the lungs
  lose their ability to stretch recoil.
• They become weakened break.
• Elasticity of the lung tissue is lost, causing
  air to be trapped in the air sacs impairing the
  exchange of Oxygen Carbon Dioxide.
• The support of the airways is lost, allowing for
  obstruction of airflow.

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Emphysema (cont.)

• An estimated 2.8 million Americans have been
  diagnosed with emphysema sometime in their life.
  
• More men than women are diagnosed.
• Number of women are increasing.
• Symptoms
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Limited exercise tolerance

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Treatment for COPD

• Supplemental oxygen
• Eventually mechanical ventilation
• Medications to decrease symptoms or complications
• Bronchodilators
• Antibiotics if infections
• Corticosteroids

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Lung Transplants

• Lung Transplants are being performed in
  increasing numbers, and may be an option for
  people suffering from severe emphysema

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ASTHMA

• A CHRONIC disease of the airways that causes
  recurrent distressing episodes
• Wheezing
• Breathlessness
• Chest tightness
• Nighttime or early morning coughing

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Those affected

• Infants
• Young Children
• Elderly
• Smokers
• Workers exposed to chemical inhalants
• Those with seasonal allergies
• Those with recurrent respiratory infections

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What Happens In An Attack?

• May remain unnoticed (asymptomatic)
• Once out of control, the sides of the airway
  become inflamed swollen
• Muscles of airway constrict, less air passes in
  out
• Excess mucus forms in the airways, clogging them
  even more
• Breathing becomes an effort coughing, wheezing,
  etc occur.

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Asthma Triggers

• Allergic reactions to such things as
• Dust mites
• Animals
• Exposure to mold
• Strenuous exercise
• Weather (freezing temps, high humidity)
• Certain foods /or food additives
• Emotional States
• Outdoor Pollutions (emissions, car exhaust, smoke
  from burning brush, trash)
• Cigarette Smoke/Second-hand smoke

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Treatment

• Variety of medications are used, depending on
  different factors
• Is there an infection present?
• Is there an allergic trigger?
• Can the person successfully use inhaler?
• Treating asthma involves managing both the
  chronic inflammation recurrent episodes of
  airflow limitation bronchoconstriction.