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Explain the pathophysiology of COPD
COPD case study
COPD case study
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Allergies is the sensitivity and response to allergens. An allergen is a substance that can cause sensitivity in the body. Some allergens are pollen, dust, pet dander or hair, some food, and even soaps or medications. An allergen can be, ingested, breathing it in, or touching the skin. Once an allergen is in the body, the body then releases histamines. Histamine allows white blood cells and plasma to enter the tissue by moving through the walls of the capillary. This movement of cells into the tissue causes swelling and inflammation. This inflammation in turn causes pain by putting pressure on nerve endings. Some other reactions to allergens are increased mucus production in the nose and respiratory system. This increased mucus causes …show more content…
Allergens can also cause itchy, watery, irritated eyes. The irritation can cause the eyes to become red. Allergies can be extremely irritating and annoying, but there is treatment that is available and you can get it over the counter. These medications are called antihistamines, which can help to alleviate many of the symptoms caused by allergens. Keep in mind that there are some side effects when taking antihistamines. Antihistamines can you to feel tired and weak. If you are extremely sensitive to allergens, in particular, hay fever then you can receive allergy injections to help your body produce antibodies against pollen before your body has a chance to react to it. Allergies typically last about a week, and are more prevalent in the Spring and Summer time. You may experience tiredness or weakness, and maybe some body aches. Headaches, runny and stuffy nose, as well as, sneezing are very common reactions to experience when you are having a reaction to allergens. Again, try an antihistamine to alleviate the symptoms or check with a medical professional to see if you need to receive …show more content…
This obstruction inhibits the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. COPD is not one singular disease, rather it includes all diseases which makes it difficult to breath. These diseases include emphysema, chronic asthma and bronchitis to name a few. Emphysema is a COPD disease in which the lungs lose elasticity, or their ability to stretch and expand. This reduction in elasticity eventually caused the break-down of lung tissue. Without the lungs ability to expand the air breathed in cannot be fully expelled, which causes less oxygen to be able to enter. Eventually carbon dioxide fills the lungs, and causes the patient to feel stressed and like they are suffocating. The alveoli of the lungs begin to fuse together and form large air sacs. These sacs eventually rupture allowing air to fill the spaces between the lungs and the chest. This is called pneumothorax, and this condition will cause the lungs to collapse due to the increased pressure. Emphysema can be inherited, or caused by smoking. No other cause is known for this disease. Bronchitis is another COPD disease which is the swelling of the bronchi. The mucous glands produce a large amount of mucus. This mucus and inflammation of the mucosa causes blockage in the airway, and inhibits the body from receiving enough oxygen. The low amount of oxygen in the body is called
The functioning of the chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) is that it has a permanent decrease in the ability to force air out of the lungs. Consequently, it causes emphysema to become a more advanced disease with no cure. Emphysema is known for their permanent enlargement of the alveoli, which are accompanied by the destruction of the alveolar walls. The lungs lose their elasticity, so it loses its ability to recoil passively during expiration. People who have emphysema becomes exhausted fast because they need about fifteen to twenty percent of their body energy to breath which is more than what a healthy person needs. Smoking inhibits and destroys cilia in the conducting zone structures, which is the line of defense for the respiratory system.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is preventable disease that has a detrimental effects on both the airway and lung parenchyma (Nazir & Erbland, 2009). COPD categorises emphysema and chronic bronchitis, both of which are characterised by a reduced maximum expiratory flow and slow but forced emptying of the lungs (Jeffery 1998). The disease has the one of the highest number of fatalities in the developed world due to the ever increasing amount of tobacco smokers and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (Marx, Hockberger & Walls, 2014). Signs and symptoms that indicate the presence of the disease include a productive cough, wheezing, dyspnoea and predisposing risk factors (Edelman et al., 1992). The diagnosis of COPD is predominantly based on the results of a lung function assessment (Larsson, 2007). Chronic bronchitis is differentiated from emphysema by it's presentation of a productive cough present for a minimum of three months in two consecutive years that cannot be attributed to other pulmonary or cardiac causes (Marx, Hockberger & Walls, 2014) (Viegi et al., 2007). Whereas emphysema is defined pathologically as as the irreversible destruction without obvious fibrosis of the lung alveoli (Marx, Hockberger & Walls, 2014) (Veigi et al., 2007).It is common for emphysema and chronic bronchitis to be diagnosed concurrently owing to the similarities between the diseases (Marx, Hockberger & Walls, 2014).
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
... and itching and can be treated with topical creams. Examples include: chemicals in detergents or lotions applied to the skin. Systemic reactions occur when the allergen is inhaled, injected, or ingested. This can have serious effects on the person by causing a reaction in more than one body system. Depending on the level of allergy the person may go into anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction that can be life threatening. Examples include: eating a food you are allergic to, or a bee sting.
Shortness of breath or dyspnea in COPD happens because the demand for ventilation exceeds the person’s ability to meet the demand (Mitchell, 2015). The basics behind breathlessness in COPD is an increased ventilatory demand with a decreased capacity of the respiratory muscles to relax and generate forceful and efficient ventilation (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). CD8+ lymphocytes release enzymes causing apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells and pulmonary capillaries, creating a ventilation-perfusion mismatch as the body becomes hypoxic and hypercarbic (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). Decreased lung elasticity and compliance from fibrotic damage to air sacs are responsible for the inability to expand and recoil to generate effective ventilation. This loss of elasticity also causes air trapping, as the lungs are less effective at removing air (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). The lungs become hyperinflated and contribute to dyspnea. Loss of parenchymal tissue causes decreased pressure and inability of alveoli to remain open. Less oxygen is able to pass the alveoli-capillary membrane into the red blood cells and less C02 is able to transfuse to be removed from the blood. Inflammation, mucus, apoptosis, fibrosis, loss of elastic recoil all lead to decreased oxygenation and ventilation causing the person to feel short of breath, particularly during exertion (Brashier & Kodgule,
In such a situation when the allergens enter the body, the immune system overreacts and may show some severe physical symptoms. The symptoms are given below
What do Beethoven, Bill Clinton, and Bob Hope all have in common? They all suffer from a condition called Asthma. When you look up the definition for Asthma in the dictionary, you will find that it is a respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. Asthma is a chronic long-term lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways, which has no cure. A person diagnosed with Asthma could feel fine; however, it can flare up at any time. Asthma affects people of all ages; however, it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About 7 million of these people are children.
These dust mites, as well as their excrement, is the biggest inducer of health problems among people. The excrement of the dust mites is a protein that can drastically raise our antibodies if it gets in touch with the skin or if it is inhaled. The bad thing is that when the antibodies are raised, the body releases histamine. Histamine levels are what causes redness and all the allergies.
Allergies occurring during a certain time of the year are known as seasonal allergy. The main cause of these allergies is pollen, which is due to response of the reproduction of trees, flowers, grasses and weeds. The two most frequent seasons that are responsible for allergies is spring and winter or which commonly known as fall. These are the seasons when the highest pollination takes place.
The study collected data on 50 volunteers who had one of the two chronic allergic
Patients who usually have allergies suffer from many symptoms due to the allergic reaction(s). Normally, your immune system protects you against invading agents such as bacteria and viruses. Otherwise harmless allergens (allergy-producing substances) cause your body to react as if they were dangerous invaders. In effect, your immune system is responding to a false alarm.
Having allergies doesn't mean you can't enjoy Halloween. There are lots of ways you can host a fun Halloween night without endangering children and adults with allergies. The best part of Halloween is dressing up and the second best part is getting candy. For many children going door to door and participating in traditional trick or treating can be a problem because they can easily come into contact with something in which they are allergic. By hosting a Halloween event in your home you can control the allergens that will be present and still have a great time.
Allergies are never a positive experience no matter what types of sensitivities a person might be suffering from. Food allergies in my life are what have allowed me to understand what it means to suffer from allergies. Although I didn't find out until I was in my early twenties what the actual effects of my allergies were in my body, through more knowledge and understanding I now know that the causation of my allergies are within my control. I remember the day quite vividly when the Dr. told me that I needed to change my diet in order to have relief in my life. Although I didn’t know it at the time, that happened to be the very moment that shifted me in the pursuit of health through knowledge of how allergies can truly affect the human body.
AsthmaThis process occurs when inflammation constricts the airway in reaction to physical activity, respiratory infections, allergens, and irritants, giving the disease its medical name: Reversible Obstruction Disease. Medical Health Research shows the lungs may only narrow or they may become blocked entirely, whichever the case, breathing is hampered.
What is a food allergy? The body’s immune system is responsible for identifying invaders (like bacteria and viruses) and triggering a response to fight the infection. With IgE-mediated food allergies, the body sees the protein in some foods as a dangerous invader and attempts get rid of it. To do this, the immune system produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). This triggers the release of histamine into the blood. Histamine is responsible for causing the allergic reaction in the body. For some people, the reaction may be mild, but for others even a tiny amount of the allergen can cause a serious reaction.