Clinical features of COPD

Question 1

What is COPD?

Answer 1

Progressive disorder characterised by airflow obstruction with most of the lung function impairment being fixed

Question 2

What is the main thing COPD is defined by?

Answer 2

airflow obstruction

Question 3

What is the obstruction of airways due to?

Answer 3

small-airway narrowing worsened by inflammation and mucus

Question 4

How many people are diagnosed with COPD in the UK?

Answer 4

1.2million

Question 5

What is the total approximate COPD prevalence in the UK?

Answer 5

1.5-2 million

Question 6

Name some activities more than 25% of patients with COPD struggle with

Answer 6

climbing stairs
gardening
housework
dressing
sleeping

Question 7

What is 85% of COPD attributable to?

Answer 7

smoking

Question 8

List some factors that cause the other 15% of COPD

Answer 8

chronic asthma 
passive smoking
maternal smoking
air pollution
occupation

Question 9

What does alpha 1 antitrypsin do?

Answer 9

Neutralise enzymes released from neutrophils

Question 10

What is the troublesome genotype for alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency?

Answer 10

PiZZ

Question 11

What percentage of smokers develop clinically significant COPD?

Answer 11

20%

Question 12

What is the rate of decline in ml/year of FEV1 in a smoker and non smoker

Answer 12

30 and 50

Question 13

What causes luminal occlusion?

Answer 13

The secretion of mucus and inflammatory exudate causing the wall of the airway to thicken

Question 14

What is ACOS?

Answer 14

Asthma, COPD, overlap syndrome

Question 15

What is a typical patient with COPD?

Answer 15

over 40, smoker or ex smoker, breathless on exertion and a cough

Question 16

What is your differential diagnosis?

Answer 16

COPD, cancer, asthma, bronchiectasis, TB

Question 17

What is the usual symptom of how bad it has been?

Answer 17

Gradually worsening over the years