OCC2014 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Asthma, Smoking Cessation
28 Jul 2018
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Document Summary
Preventable and treatable disease but not curable. Characterised by obstructive airflow limitation that is not fully reversible (inability to get air out of the lungs): not reversible with the use of drugs (e. g. ventolin or other bronchodilators). Significant extrapulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Includes effects on the heart and muscular chest. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung to noxious particles or gases: disease gets so bad that it may lead to death. Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (gold) definitions. Chronic bronchitis: presence of cough and sputum for at least 3 months in each of 2 consecutive years, not necessarily associated with airway limitation. Emphysema: destruction of alveoli, one of several structural abnormalities present in patients with copd, airways become floppy when patients try to breathe out, the airways will close causing gas to be trapped in the lungs.
