Lecture 9 - COPD And Bronchiectasis Flashcards
What is COPD?
A disease characterised by persistence respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation
What causes COPD?
Significant exposure to noxious particles and gases affecting the airways and alveoli
What happens to the airways in COPD?
Airway inflammation
Airway fibrosis
Increased airway resistance
What happens to the parenchymal tissue in the lungs with COPD?
Parenchymal destruction
Loss of alveolar attachments
Decrease of elastic recoil
What are some classic respiratory symptoms associated with COPD?
Breathlessness
Cough
Sputum
What is the main risk factor/causative toxin causing COPD?
Smoking
What airways are first affected in COPD?
Small airways
What are the changes that occur in chronic bronchitis?
Airways become inflammed narrowing the airway
Has increased mucus production
This narrowing of the airways causes breathlessness
What is Emphyesma?
A disease of the lung parenchyma where the alveoli are broken down
This leads to less gas exchange occurring
Lose the elastic recoil of the lungs causing overinflation
What are some causes of COPD?
Smoking
Biomass exposure
Alpha-1-antitrypsin (genetic)
Air pollution
Illicit drug use
What illicit drugs cause COPD?
Heroin
Cannabis
Why may certain people develop COPD without smoking?
As children the lung function may not have fully developed so as normal lung function decline occurs it can falll to COPD levels
What is the pathway to diagnosing COPD?
NEED SYMPTOMS
Then determine if they have risk factors for their symptoms
Then do spirometry
What are the symptoms of COPD?
Breathlessness progressively
Cough
Sputum
History of risk factors:
Host factors
Smoke
Occupational dusts
What is Dyspnoea?
Breathlessness
What are the signs of COPD?
Purse lip breathing
Hyperinflation or barrel shaped chest
Prolonged expiratory phase
When the doctor examines a patient what are some signs of COPD?
Wheeze on auscultation
Cyanosis (rare)
Cor pulmonale (right sided heart failure with a respiratory cause)
How does Cor pulmonale get caused with COPD?
COPD obstructs small bronchioles
Reduces ventilation of alveoli at the end of these bronchioles
Reduced pO2 in alveoli leads to hypoxaemia in blood
Pulmonary vasoconstriction occurs to redirect blood to better ventilated alveoli
Chronic pulmonary vasoconstriction leads to pulmonary hypertension
Cause right sided heart hypertrophy
Then right sided heart failure due to respiratory cause = Cor pulmonale
What is spirometry used to measure?
FEV1
FVC
From that can determine the FEV1:FVC ratio
What is FEV1?
Forced Expiratory Volume 1s
How much air can be moved out in one second
How is the FEV1:FVC ratio affected in patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)?
What value indicates COPD?
Reduced since less air can be exhaled in a certain time due to the airway obstruction
FEV1:FVC < 0.7 or 70%
What other investigations can be done if suspect COPD expect for spirometry?
CXR (may see hyperinflation)
High Resolution CT (HRCT) - may see emphysema or Brochiectasis
Pulmonary function tests
ABG
Alpha-1-antitrypsin bloodo test for younger patients