COPD Research Paper

COPD stands for chronic obstruction pulmonary disease. This disease is caused by either emphysema, chronic bronchitis or chronic asthma or in combination with each other. This is a long term disease and is the damage and narrowing of the airways. COPD can come in different forms, mild, moderate and severe.
Mild COPD can include shortness of breath and coughing up mucous, especially of a morning, in winter or when having a cold.
Moderate COPD has the same signs and symptoms as mild COPD but with a few additional ones, such as; trouble breathing, especially when doing physically activities (chores and exercise) and taking numerous weeks to recover from a chest infections or cold.
Severe COPD has all the signs and symptoms as mild and moderate

The right bronchi is wider but shorter (2.5cm) than the left bronchi and more vertical. As the right bronchi is more vertical, there is a higher chance of it becoming obstructed from foreign particles. The left bronchus is about 5cm long and is narrower than the right. The left bronchus is more horizontal. The bronchi is made up of the same layers as the trachea, the outer layer consisting of elastic and fibrous tissue which encloses the cartilage. The middle layer made up of smooth muscle and cartilage and the inner layer is lined with ciliated columnar epithelium. The right and left main bronchi connect the trachea to the bronchioles and their function is the pathway for the air to get to the

These intercostal muscles are in the spaces between each rib and the two layers include the internal intercostal muscles and external intercostal muscles. The external intercostal muscles are used in the stage of inspiration and the internal intercostal muscles are in involved in expiration, but only when this stage becomes an active process such as when exercising. The diaphragm is a large muscle, shaped like a dome, which is what separates the thoracic cavity (floor of thorax cavity) and the abdominal cavity (roof of abdominal cavity). The diaphragm contracts in inspiration and relaxes in expiration. The diaphragm and external intercostal muscles contract and pulls the chest out and down (expands) to allow intake of air. As the diaphragm contracts and the chest expands, it pulls the parietal pleura out (which lines the chest wall) and this then pulls out the visceral pleura with it (which lines the outside of the lungs) and this then expands the lungs (Waugh, A & Grant, A