COPD Flashcards
What is the key difference between asthma and COPD?
Asthma is fully reversible obstruction whereas COPD is not
What is the FEV1/FVC in patients with COPD?
Always less than 0.7
COPD is graded in it’s severity by what?
FEV1 starting at mild which is grade 1 which is less than 80%
What is grade 2 COPD
Moderate with an FEV1 of 50-79%
What is stage 3
Severe and there is a FEV of 30-49%
What is the 4th and final grade
Very severe accompanies an FEV1 of >30%
COPD is an umbrella for which two diseases?
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema
What other factors differentiate COPD from asthma?
COPD patients: over 35, persistent and productive cough, almost always caused by smoking, breathlessness progressive and persistant, no nocturnal symptoms unless severe, FMH uncommon, atopic co-conditions less likely
When can COPD appear at earlier ages?
In hereditary alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency. (It is normally responsible for protecting connective tissue breakdown by neutrophil elastase)
What are the main pathological features of COPD?
Mucous hyperseceretion, tissue destruction, impaired repair and defence mechanisms causing small airway inflammation and fibrosis
What does the fibrosis and inflammation of the small airways lead to?
Increased resistance, reduced compliance, air trapping and progressive airway obstruction
What is emphysema?
Histologically enlarged air spaces distal to terminal bronchioles and destruction of alveolar walls reducing total surface area of the lungs for exchange
What is chronic bronchitis?
Cough and sputum production on most days of 3 months of a year for at least 2 consecutive years
Prevalence of COPD?
10-20% of over 40s
What are pink puffers? (Emphysema patients)
Patients with high alveolar ventilation, near normal PO2, normal or low PCO2, they are breathless but not cyanosed
