COPD

COPD is the new name for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

What is COPD? COPD is a long-term lung disease usually caused by smoking.
COPD includes a few lung diseases: the most common are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Many people with COPD have both of these diseases.
COPD symptoms include shortness of breath, increased mucus and coughing. Some people with COPD say it feels like they're breathing through a straw.
COPD can't be cured, but it can be treated. With the right treatment, people with COPD can lead active lives and live for many years. People can learn strategies for living with COPD.

What does COPD do to lungs?COPD slowly damages your airways - the tubes that go in and out of your lungs. People with COPD have swollen and partly blocked airways. They can also have damage in the air sacs at the tips of their airways.

COPD makes it hard to breathe because:
the airways and air sacs in your lungs lose their shape and stretchiness the walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed the walls of the airways become thick and swollen cells in the airways make more mucus than usual, which blocks the airways. Many people with COPD have emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
The emphysema part of COPD means you have damage to the air sacs at the tips of your airways. This makes it hard for your body to take in the oxygen it needs.
The chronic bronchitis part of COPD means your airways are irritated, red, and make too much sticky mucous. The walls of your airways are swollen and partly block the air from passing through.

What causes COPD?

Smoking cigarettes causes about 90 percent of COPD cases. Other things that can cause COPD are:
Heredity (for example, a rare genetic disorder called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency) Second-hand smoke Air pollution at work and in the environment (dust or chemicals) A history of childhood lung infections Who can get COPD?Anyone who smokes or who smoked in the past can get COPD. People with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, exposure to second-hand smoke or pollution, or many childhood chest infections, can also get it.
People usually notice COPD symptoms when they're in their 40s, 50s or 60s. Often people think their COPD symptoms - feeling short of breath, wheezing or coughing- are a normal part of getting older. They're not.
The sooner COPD is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. That's why it's important to catch symptoms early. If you are a smoker or a former smoker, take the Canadian Lung Health Test to see if you're at risk for COPD.
Can COPD be prevented?Yes. Most of the time, COPD can be prevented. Since most cases of COPD are caused by smoking, people can prevent COPD by not smoking. Smokers can reduce their chance of getting COPD by quitting as soon as possible - it's never too late to quit.
Can COPD be slowed down?Yes. If you have COPD and smoke, you can slow down the COPD by quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do to feel better.

How does COPD progress? What can I expect?People with COPD eventually die from it, or from a complication of it.
Complications of COPD:
Recurring chest infections, including pneumonia, the flu, etc. Pulmonary hypertension: abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs Cor pulmonale: enlargement and strain on the right side of the heart Increased blood count Arrhythmias (irregular heart beat) Dependence on mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy Pneumothorax (air outside the lung) Respiratory failure People with COPD can live for a long time after they are diagnosed. If you have COPD, how long you'll live depends on many things:

What age you were diagnosed at How bad your lung damage is Whether you keep smoking, cut back or quit (cutting back is a start, quitting is the best!) What kind of medical care and treatment you get What other health problems you might have If you have COPD and you smoke, it's important to quit smoking. Work with your doctor to get proper care and treatment for COPD, so that you'll live as long and as comfortable a life as possible. Many people with COPD find ways to enjoy a happy and productive life despite their disease.
It's also important to talk to your doctor and family about what kind of care you will need in future years, and what you can do now to get ready for the future.

Signs & symptoms

Diagnosis
People with COPD usually have a combination of these symptoms:
Feeling short of breath A barrel-shaped chest Wheezing Frequent, long-lasting lung infections (the flu, pneumonia, etc.) Feeling tired (fatigue) Losing weight without trying

Emphysema

1. Healthy alveolus 2. Alveolus with emphysema

Emphysema is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that can get worse over time. It's usually caused by smoking. Having emphysema means some of the air sacs in your lungs are damaged, making it hard to breathe.
Emphysema is part of a lung disease known as COPD.

What causes emphysema?
Emphysema can be caused by one or a combination of these things:
Cigarette smoking: Most cases of emphsyema are caused by cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoke reaches deep into the lungs and causes permanent damage. If you have emphysema from cigarettes, the best way to stop your lung damage is to quit smoking as soon as possible. It's never too late to quit smoking. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency: Some people have emphsyema because of a rare genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency. People with Alpha-1 are missing an enzyme that protects their lungs. Some people with Alpha-1 deficiency get emphysema without ever having smoked. Other people get emphsyema from the combination of smoking and having Alpha-1 deficiency. Air pollution: There is some evidence that air pollution can contribute to people getting emphysema, especially if the person also smokes. Signs and symptoms of emphysemaShortness of breath- feeling like you can't get your breath out A barrel-shaped chest Wheezing Feeling tired (fatigue) Losing weight without trying People might think that feeling short of breath is a normal sign of aging- but it's not. If you have these signs and symptoms, see your doctor. Ask for spirometry, a simple test that measures how much air you move out of your lungs.

These signs and symptoms will not go away over time- they will get worse. The sooner you see the doctor, the sooner you can find out how to feel better.

Treatment for emphysema
There is no cure for emphysema, but it is possible to slow down the disease and make it easier to live with the symptoms.
The number one treatment for emphysema is to quit smoking and stay away from smoky places. By quitting smoking, you can slow down emphysema. Find out more about how to quit smoking.
There are other treatments for emphysema, including medications, supplemental oxygen, and more. Emphysema is part of a lung disease known as COPD. Read more about treating COPD (including emphysema).

What can be expected with emphysema?
People with emphysema can live for a long time after they are diagnosed. If you have emphysema, how long you'll live depends on many things:
What age you were diagnosed at How bad your lung damage is Whether you keep smoking, cut back or quit (cutting back is a start, quitting is the best!) What kind of medical care and treatment you get What other health problems you might have People with emphysema eventually die from it, or from a complication of it.

Complications of emphysema:

Recurring chest infections, including pneumonia, the flu, cold, etc.

Pulmonary hypertension: abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs

Cor pulmonale: enlargement and strain on the right side of the heart .

Increased blood count .

If you have emphysema and you smoke, it's important to quit smoking. See your doctor to get proper treatment, so that you'll live as long and as comfortable a life as possible.
Why quitting smoking helps improve emphysema symptoms .Emphysema gets worse over time if you continue to smoke or breathe dirty air. The damage doesn't stop until you stop smoking and stop breathing dirty air. By quitting smoking now, you can't undo the damage that's already done, but you can protect your lungs from any more damage.

Passive smoking

Passive or involuntary smoking occurs when the exhaled and ambient smoke (otherwise known as environmental or secondhand smoke) from one person's cigarette is inhaled by other people. Passive smoking involves inhaling carcinogens, as well as other toxic components, that are present in secondhand tobacco smoke. Carcinogens that occur in secondhand tobacco smoke include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, benzo[a]pyrene, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, and many others.

It is confirmed that, in adults, secondhand smoke causes lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, breast cancer in younger women, heart disease, heart attacks, and asthma induction. Secondhand smoke is also known to harm children, infants and reproductive health through acute lower respiratory tract illness, asthma induction and exacerbation, chronic respiratory symptoms, middle ear infection, lower birth weight babies, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

In June 2006, US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona called the evidence against passive smoke "indisputable" and said "The science is clear: secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and non-smoking adults.".Passive smoking is one of the key issues that have lead to introduction of smoking bans, particularly in workplaces.

The composition of Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is similar to fossil fuel combustion products that contribute to air pollution, and has been shown to be responsible for indoor particulate matter (PM) levels far exceeding official outdoor limits.

Effects of smoking

Affects sense of smell and taste
Ages skin and causes wrinkles
Dental hygiene problems, stains fingers and teeth
Wounds take longer to heal
Experience more asthma and respiratory symptoms
Makes hair and clothes smell

Smoking during pregnancy Is very dangerous and leads to an increased risk of:
miscarriage
premature birth
low weight of babies at birth

Passive smoking:

Inhaling other peoples' cigarette smoke is called passive smoking. Passive smoking has been linked with the following health problems in adults:
increased sensitivity
reduced lung function in people with chest problem
increases severity of asthma
causes irritation of the eye, nose and throat

In children passive smoking increases the risk of:

Respiratory infection
Asthma symptoms
Wheezing and
Chronic coughs

Chemicals in cigarettes and their effect on the body

Chemicals In Cigarettes:



Nicotine -- Hight Addictive
TarBrown and treacly Contains carcinogens
Carbon monoxide
Irritants and toxic substances




What does it affect?
NicotineHighly addictiveNicotine is extremely poisonous: only 60 mg of pure nicotine placed on the tongue would kill in minutesSmaller doses affect the:CNSHeart CirculationDigestionBody's defences

Long Term Effects on the body?
Affects the CNS and brain;

stimulates and relaxes

Increases heart beat and causes heart disease

Raises blood pressure;

vascular disease

Stomach ulcers

Stomach cancer

Lung disease

Tar:

What does it affect?

MouthThroatAirways and lungs (clogs up cilia)

Long Term Effects on the body?

Mouth, lips, throat and lung cancer
Smoker's cough
Emphysema
Bronchitis
Pneumonia

Carbon Monoxide:

What does it affect?

Oxygen in the blood

Long Term Effects on the body?
Combines with haemoglobin more easily than oxygen, reducing the body's capacity to carry oxygen
Arteriosclerosis;
deposits fats in arteries can lead to heart attack or stroke
Poor circulation can lead to gangrene and limb amputation



Irritants and toxic substance:
What does it affect?

Respiratory tract

Long Term Effects on the body?
Bronchitis
Poor health
Reduced energy

Effects of Tobacco Smoke

Smoking KILLS

Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking.
One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age.
Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of cancers.
The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.
This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated.
Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year.
Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs.
Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.
Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain put on your body by smoking often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.
Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.
Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.
Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.
Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease.
In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.