COPD Flashcards
What is COPD?
Disease of adults usually 45+ with airflow obstruction that is not fully reversible
How is COPD caused?
Long term exposure to toxic particles and gases (usually long term smoking)
Occupational coal miners (cadmium)
Air pollution
Cannabis
Intrinsic risk factors
Anti proteinase (a1-anti trypsin) deficiency
Airway hyperreactivity (easily triggered bronchospasm)
Symptoms of COPD
Productive cough
White/clear sputum
Wheeze
Breathlessness
Diagnosis of COPD
Evidence of airflow limitation
FEV1 less than 80%
FEV1:FVC ratio less than 70%
PEFR is low
a1 antitrypsin levels
Blood gases COPD
Hyoxaemia and hypercapnia
Rust coloured sputum indicates
Pneumococcal bacteria (pneumonia)
Smoking cessation
Only intervention proven to decelerate decline in FEV1
Bronchodilator treatment COPD
mild COPD: B adrenergic agonists (salbutamol)
severe COPD: long term B adrenergic agonists (salmeterol)
Antimuscarinic drugs (ipratropium) more prolonged and greater bronchodilation achieved
Theophyllines
Antimuscarinic drugs
Stops acetylcholine binding, calcium, stops lung contracting
Theophyllines
Prevents and treats wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness
Corticosteroids and COPD
Airway function may improve considerably
Combination of inhaled corticosteroids with long acting B2 agonists produces further improved eg in breathlessness, reduces frequency and severity of exacerbations
Antibiotics and COPD
Shortens exacerbations, should always be given in acute episodes, may prevent hospital admission and further lung damage
When sputum turns yellow/green
Oxygen therapy COPD
Improves survival, prevent progression of pulmonary hypertension, decrease incidence of secondary polycythameia
Polycythaemia
Higher amount of RBC, makes blood thicker, harder to flow through blood vessels
Why is 100% oxygen not given to patient?
In COPD, less new oxygen going in and less old CO2 coming out, therefore a higher C02 conc in alveoli, patient sensitised to this hypercapnia, relies on hypoxaemia to drive ventilation. Administering oxygen reduces hypoxaemia, reducing respiratory drive whilst CO2 remains high. Patient hypoventilates instead of hyperventilating, respiratory drive reduced = fatal
Aim of oxygen therapy
Increase Pa02 to at least 60mmHg
What % oxygen administered to COPD?
24-28%, increased to 40%
Prognosis COPD
Poor prognosis predictor: increasing age, worsening airflow limitation (fall in FEV1), Weight loss, pulmonary hypertension
Emphysema
Abnormal permanent enlargement of air spaces distal to terminal bronchiole, destruction of their walls without obvious fibrosis
Centriacinar (centrilobular) emphysema
Central or proximal parts of acini, formed by respiratory bronchioles are affected, distal alveoli spared, therefore emphysematous and normal airspace’s exist within the same acinus and lobule
Legions more common in upper lobe, particularly apical segments
Walls of emyphysematous spaces contain black pigment
Most common form
Panacinar (panlobular) emphysema
Less common
Distension and destruction involves the whole of the acinus, from respiratory bronchiole to terminal blind alveoli
Severe airflow limitation and V/Q mismatch occurs
Occurs in a1 antitrypsin deficiency
Occurs in lower lobes of lung
Distal acinar (paraseptal) emphysema
Proximal portion of acinus normal, distal part involved
Emphysema adjacent to pleura, along lobular connective tissue septa and margins of lobules
Multiple enlarged airspace’s forming cyst like structures with progressive enlargement (bullae)
Underlies many cases of spontaneous pneumothorax in young adults
Irregular emphysema (airspace enlargement with fibrosis)
Acinus irregularly involved, associated with scarring, eg resulting from healed inflammatory disease
Clinically asymptomatic
Pathogenesis of emphysema
COPD characterised by mild chronic inflammation throughout airways, parenchyma, pulmonary vasculature
Macrophages, CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes, neutrophils increased in the lung
Activated inflammatory cells release mediators capable of damaging lung structures/ sustaining neutrophilic inflammation
Protease-antiprotease imbalance hypothesis
Genetic deficiency of antiprotease a1 antitrypsin, enhanced tendency to develop pulmonary emphysema
Neutrophils normally isolated in peripheral capillaries, few gain access to alveolar spaces
Any stimulus that increases number of leukocytes (neutrophils and macrophages) in the lung or the release of protease containing granules increases Proteolytic activity
Low levels of serum a1 antitrypsin, elastic tissue destruction unchecked, emphysema results
Emphysema results from destructive effect of high protease activity in subjects with low antiprotease activity
a1-antitrypsin
Found in serum, tissue fluids, macrophages
A proteinase inhibitor produced in liver, secreted into blood, diffuses into the lung
Inhibits Proteolytic enzymes (proteinases) eg neutrophil elastase (capable of destroying alveolar wall connective tissue)
Protease-antiprotease imbalance hypothesis and cigarette smoking
Centriacinar form
In smokers, neutrophils and macrophages accumulate in alveoli, activate transcription of factor NF-kB switching on genes that encode TNF and chemokines, attract and activate neutrophils
Accumulated neutrophils activated and release their granules rich in cellular proteases resulting in tissue damage
Smoking enhances elastase activity in macrophages, macrophage elastase can Proteolytically digest antiprotease a1 antitrypsin
Oxidant-antioxidant imbalance (smoking)
Normally the lung contains antioxidants (inhibit oxidation) preventing oxidative damage
Tobacco smoke contains reactive oxygen species (free radicals), deplete antioxidant mechanisms, inciting tissue damage
What increases amount of reactive free radicals in alveoli
Activated neutrophils