WHAT IS COPD?
DIGGING A BIT DEEPER
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a term describing a set of 3 common lung diseases that make it harder and harder to breathe. This happens so slowly that the symptoms are often not noticed until later stages.
The 3 forms are:
Emphysema (damage over time to lungs and/or air exchange sacs called alvioli)
Chronic Bronchitis (inflamed bronchial tubes causing long-term cough with mucus)
Refractory Asthma (Asthma with persistent symptoms)
These conditions narrow the airways. This makes it harder to move air in and out as you breathe, and your lungs are less able to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
The airways are lined by muscle and elastic tissue. In a healthy lung, the springy tissue between the airways acts as packing and pulls on the airways to keep them open.
With COPD, the airways are narrowed because:
the lung tissue is damaged so there is less pull on the airways
mucus blocks part of the airway
the airway lining becomes inflamed and swollen
COPD cannot be cured or reversed. However, if detected early, treatments and lifestyle choices can greatly improve quality and length of life.
For more info on this, click the COPD Foundation link in our Other Resources section.
MORE ON WARNING SIGNS
SHORTNESS OF BREATH
You could experience shortness of breath during moderate to heavy physical exertion or even during everyday activities. People often attribute this to getting older or having a short-term illness. Some refer to this as being "hungry for breath".
CHRONIC COUGH
A cough lasting weeks, or even months that may produce mucus (sputum). This mucus may be clear, white, yellow or greenish.
Also, having to clear your throat in the morning of excess phlegm in your lungs/bronchial tube.
WHEEZING
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound that can be heard when a person breathes in or out. This symptom happens when the airway passages become tighter and narrowed and/or when excess mucus is present in airways.
CHEST TIGHTNESS
Chest tightness may feel a little different from one person to the next. People can describe chest tightness as feeling like:
The chest is being squeezed or crushed
A band is tightening around the chest
The chest feels stiff
Someone is sitting on the chest
Pressure on the lungs is keeping them from filling up
FREQUENT RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that affects the lungs and breathing system (also called the “respiratory system”). People with COPD very often have or develop other respiratory conditions:
Respiratory infections eg. pneumonia, bronchitis
Flu/colds
Collapsed lung
Lung cancer
It can also take longer than normal to recover from respiratory infections and viruses.
CO-MORBIDITIES
People with COPD can also suffer from other conditions, known as co-morbidities. These conditions may share similar risk factors, such as smoking, and they often contribute to the severity of the condition.
COPD (LUNG) EXACERBATIONS
Periods of worsening symptoms, usually requiring hospitalization in later stages due to dangerous breathlessness.
CYANOSIS
This means there is not enough oyxgen in the blood for the body to function well. Appears as blueness affecting the lips, tongue, mouth or in the skin of the arms, legs, feet, hands, finger or fingernail beds.
MORNING HEADACHES
Typically COPD headaches occur in the morning after waking up, due to carbon dioxide building up in your blood during sleep. This can also put you at risk of sleep apnea.
LOWER MUSCLE ENDURANCE
Most often this affects the legs. COPD sufferers often avoid exercise because of shortness of breath. Because these muscles are not being used, they start to lose strength and endurance.
SWELLING OF ANKLES, LEGS OR FEET
As COPD advances, fluid retention can cause swelling in these areas limiting your activity and causing physical discomfort.
UNINTENDED WEIGHT LOSS (USUALLY IN LATER STAGES)
People with COPD can lose weight for several reasons:
Coughing or short of breath during meals so don't eat as much as they should
Not as active so not as hungry
Depression
With COPD, a body uses more energy to breath than normal so more calories are being burned at rest
MORE ON CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS OF COPD
SMOKING
Smoking of cigarettes is the number one cause of COPD. Cigar and pipe smoke are also causes, especially if you breathe in the smoke.
However, more and more cases are due to other factors.
OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION
Yes. In the next number of years, the cases of COPD in places like China and other areas of the world with heavy emissions, will probably rise significantly. Since it often goes unnoticed by about 50/50, there will be so many more people suffering without knowing they have COPD.
SECONDHAND SMOKE
People who have prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of developing COPD.
WORKPLACE EXPOSURE
Long term exposure to certain dusts, fumes and/or chemicals at work puts you at risk. Some examples are sawdust, masonry dusts, cement dusts and even welding fumes are associated with increased COPD risk. Inquire about wearing the proper protective equipment. If you work in any of these environments, consider a Spirometry test.
See our Other Resources for a link to more Info on these types of risk factors.
INFECTIONS
If you had lots of respiratory infections during childhood, there is a greater chance of COPD in adulthood.
AAT DEFICIENCY
Known as "alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency"; when you have this, your lungs lack a protein that protects them from damage. This can lead to more severe COPD or other lung conditions.
MORE DIAGNOSTIC METHODS
Spirometry tests are a type of Pulmonary Function Test or PFT. To make a more accurate diagnosis of COPD, in addition to a Spirometry test, your doctor should spend time with you discussing your medical history and perform a physical examination. Chest X-rays, CT scans and different types of PFTs may also help in diagnosis.
COPD AWARENESS CANADA INITIATIVES
COPD AWARENESS DAY ONTARIO
BIll 157 - COPD Awareness Day Act passed 3rd reading at the Ontario Legislative Assembly and received Royal Assent in early July 2021. It is now law.
From here on, the 3rd Wednesday of every November will be officially recognized as COPD Awareness Day in Ontario.
This is in line with World COPD Day, which is recognized globally on the same day.
Similar Awareness Day initiatives are now beginning the process in Manitoba and Alberta.
COMPLICATIONS AND COMORBIDITIES
DEPRESSION/ANXIETY
RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
LUNG CANCER
HEART PROBLEMS
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN LUNG ARTERIES
SLEEP APNEA
STROKE
OSTEOPOROSIS
DEMENTIA
COPD FACTS
an acute exacerbation (or lung attack) of COPD is the sudden worsening of the disease. These attacks can be frightening, deadly and costly.
COPD is not curable, however drug treatments, exercise and attention to symptoms can dramatically improve quality and length of life.
Cases of COPD are likely to increase in coming years due to factors like: smoking prevalence, aging population, pollution, and workplace exposure.
Many cases of COPD are preventable by avoidance or early cessation of smoking.
Someone with COPD may not realize they are having shortness of breath until experiencing difficulty completing everyday things, such as walking up the stairs.
COPD is consistently responsible for the highest rate of hospital admission (and readmission) among illnesses in Canada.
OTHER RESOURCES
COPD FOUNDATION
This charity in the U.S. has some great info on COPD.
https://www.copdfoundation.org/What-is-COPD/Understanding-COPD/What-is-COPD.aspx
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA
Scroll down to the section "Managing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" for some info on what to do after a COPD diagnosis.
The "Fact and Figures" section also has a wealth of info.
EUROPEAN LUNG FOUNDATION
This site also has some great information.
https://www.europeanlung.org/en/lung-disease-and-information/lung-diseases/copd