What is chronic obstructive lung disease？
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease with the characteristics of airflow limitation. This airflow limitation is not completely reversible and progresses progressively. Its occurrence is related to the abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to harmful gases or harmful particles. . With repeated attacks and acute exacerbations of the disease, lung function gradually declines, and shortness of breath is felt during daily activities and even at rest.
What are the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has a slow onset and a longer course, and there may be no symptoms in the early stage. As the disease progresses, chronic cough, sputum expectoration, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc. may occur.
Chronic cough
Cough is often obvious in the morning, coughing or expectoration at night, and it may not heal for life as the course of the disease progresses.
Expectoration
It is usually white mucus or serous foamy sputum, occasionally bloodshot, and more sputum is expected in the morning. The amount of sputum increases during the acute attack, and there may be purulent sputum.
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
It appears in the early stage during vigorous activities, and then gradually worsens, so that shortness of breath is felt during daily activities or even at rest, which is a hallmark symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Wheezing and chest tightness
Some patients, especially severe patients or acute exacerbations, have wheezing.
Other symptoms
Late-stage patients have weight loss, loss of appetite and so on.
Chronic respiratory failure
It often occurs when chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is acutely exacerbated, its symptoms are significantly worsened, hypoxemia and (or) hypercapnia occur, and clinical manifestations of hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention occur.
Spontaneous pneumothorax
If there is a sudden increase in dyspnea, accompanied by obvious cyanosis, the percussion of the lung on the affected side is drum sounds, and the breath sounds on auscultation are weakened or disappeared, and spontaneous pneumothorax should be considered. The diagnosis can be confirmed by X-ray examination.
Chronic cor pulmonale
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease causes the reduction of pulmonary vascular beds and hypoxia causes pulmonary artery contraction and vascular remodeling, leading to pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy and expansion, and eventually right heart insufficiency.
What is the differential diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease?
Asthma discount and coupen
The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is mostly middle-aged, the symptoms progress slowly, and many have long-term smoking history. Asthma is mostly caused by children or adolescents with significant reversibility of airflow limitation. Reasonable inhalation of corticosteroids and other drugs can often effectively control the disease, which is an important feature for distinguishing it from COPD. However, some asthmatic patients with a long course of disease can have airway remodeling, and the reversibility of airflow limitation is reduced. The differential diagnosis between the two is difficult. At this time, the identification should be based on a comprehensive analysis of clinical and laboratory findings. In a small number of patients, these two diseases can overlap.
Bronchiectasis
Typical manifestations are repeated large amounts of purulent sputum or repeated hemoptysis. X-ray chest examinations often have rough texture or curly hair in the lung field, and high-resolution spiral CT can confirm the diagnosis.
tuberculosis
Frequent symptoms such as fever, fatigue, night sweats and weight loss. Sputum search for acid-fast bacilli and chest X-ray examination can be distinguished.
Bronchial lung cancer
Most of them have a history of smoking for several years, stubborn irritating cough or a history of coughing in the past, the nature of the recent cough has changed, and there is often blood in the sputum. Sometimes it is manifested as repeated obstructive pneumonia at the same site, which has not completely resolved after antibiotic treatment. Sputum exfoliation cytology, chest CT and bronchoscopy can confirm the diagnosis.
What is the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
As the cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is not fully elucidated, there is still a lack of treatment for the cause. In clinical practice, the principles of prevention and comprehensive treatment and individualized treatment measures are mainly followed, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are treated with home oxygen therapy, respiratory muscle exercise therapy and drug therapy.
Treatment cycle
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has a long course and requires long-term, regular and standardized treatment.
General treatment
Education and management
One of the most important is to persuade smokers to quit smoking, which is the most effective measure to slow down lung function damage. Those caused by occupational or environmental dust and irritating gases should be free from polluting the environment.
Long-term home oxygen therapy
Oxygen inhalation through nasal cannula, oxygen flow rate is 1~2L/min, oxygen inhalation time is 10~15 hours/day. You can use the boxym oxygen generator to make the oxygen therapy
Recovery treatment
It can improve the mobility and quality of life for patients who have little activity due to progressive airflow limitation and severe breathing difficulties. It is an important treatment for patients in stable phase.
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