Week 9- COPD Flashcards
What are the differences between COPD and asthma?
They have different mediators
Asthma can be treated by bronchodilators and corticosteroids whereas COPD cant
COPD is more irreversible than asthma
What inflammatory cells are involved with asthma?
Eosinophils
Mast cells
TH2 lymphocytes
What inflammatory cells are involved with COPD?
Neutrophils
Macrophages
TC1 lymphocytes
What are the 3 pathologies of COPD?
Chronic bronchitis (mucus hyper secretion) Chronic bronchiolitis (small airways disease= airway stenosis) Emphysema (alveolar detachments are destroyed so cant be held inflated)
What potent mediator of fibroblasts is made by epithelial cells on exposure to smoke?
TGF beta
What is the main treatment of COPD (not drugs)?
Smoking cessation to prevent decline in lung function
What is a pack year?
Smoking 20 cigarettes a day for one year
What is bronchoalveolar lavage?
When liquid is released into the airways and brought back up by the bronchoscope to see what mediators and cell types are present in the aiway
What are the 2 main types of emphysema?
Centrilobular
Pan- lobular
Describe centrilobular emphysema
Most common form
Cigarette smoke effects splitting of airways so most effects centre of functional unit
Describe panlobular emphysema
Lack of alpha 1 antitripsin means damage is spread and not centrally located
How may inhibition of proteases help the symptoms of COPD?
They stop the pathologies of chronic bronchitis and emphysema getting worse
Why does COPD assessment involve doing a lung function test?
To look at the rate of decline in lung function and see if the drug is slowing the rate of decline
Why does COPD assessment involve high resolution CT scanning?
Too look at the extent of emphysemic destruction to see if its getting worse at a slower rate
Why do small airways become obstructed, stenosed and collapse?
If alveolar attachments are destroyed there is nothing to hold the airways open
