Taking a breath is so simple that many of us take it for granted. But this is a daily struggle for many suffering from COPD. This lung disease is a nasty condition that is far too common in our area.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an inflammatory condition of the lungs and airway structures that reduces the amount of air that can flow into the lungs. The two most common conditions that cause COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Although the pathologies that cause COPD may be different, the end result is the same: decreased oxygen reaching the alveoli in the lungs for gas exchange. Before we jump in, let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the structures of the airway and how they are used.
Air enters through either the mouth or the nose and is funneled down toward an opening near the bottom of our throats. The trachea, or windpipe, is a muscular tube that serves to guide air down from the throat into the center of the chest. After reaching the chest, the trachea divides into the right and left mainstem bronchi.
These bronchi continue to funnel the air through smaller and smaller passageways until it reaches the alveoli. The alveoli are small, soccer ball-like sacs that are wrapped in blood vessels. Their job is to exchange the oxygen that our cells need and get rid of the carbon dioxide waste products. The alveoli are the only place in the lungs where gas exchange takes place. Therefore, any interruption in their supply is a bad thing.
Chronic bronchitis occurs when a person has difficulty clearing the mucus out of their trachea and it begins to collect in the large bronchi. This is often caused by the damage to the small hair-like tissue that line the throat and remove mucus from the trachea.
The primary cause of the damage is smoking. Once the phlegm collects in the larger airways, the patient will have a rough, rattling like cough that will produce a sometimes-bloody sputum. Another condition that is part of the COPD family is emphysema. This disease, also caused by smoking, is characterized by destruction of the alveoli at the far ends of the airways.
With a decrease in the amount of surface area, less gas exchange can occur and the patient might be hypoxic, or short on oxygen levels. COPD patients will often cough daily and might have difficulty catching their breath. They could also develop a blue or pink like completion due to the inability to get adequate oxygen to their cells.
As I am sure you know, COPD is an awful condition that cripples the lives and lifestyles of many of our friends, family, and neighbors. Mississippi is one of the top in the nation for death rate by COPD. However, keeping this disease at bay is easy. Almost 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking.
In fact, it is hard to put into words just how deadly smoking is for the body. There are other, non-smoking, related causes of COPD as well. Long-term exposure to pollution and some chemicals can lead to the disease, but they are much less common and far less preventable than smoking. Remember, keep your lungs happy and healthy to be able to live life to its fullest.
Stay safe out there.
M. Eric Williams, MS, NR-P is a Mississippi native and Instructor of Emergency Medicine. He is a Doctoral Candidate in Higher Education and has 15 years’ experience in healthcare. If you have questions or comments, you may contact him at eric.williams@jcjc.edu.
