Who is COPD commonly found in? - ✔✔ COPD is most commonly a problem of middle-aged or older patients. This is because these disorders ordinarily
... [Show More] take time to develop as tissues in the respiratory tract react to irritants.
What causes COPD - ✔✔ Cigarette smoking causes the overwhelming majority of cases of COPD. Occasionally, other irritants such as chemicals, air pollutants, or repeated infections cause this condition.
What happens to the body with chronic bronchitis? - ✔✔ In chronic bronchitis, the bronchiole lining is inflamed and excess mucus is formed. The cells in the bronchioles that normally clear away accumulations of mucus are not able to do so. The sweeping apparatus on these cells, the cilia, has been damaged or destroyed.
What happens to the lungs with emphysema? - ✔✔ In emphysema, the walls of the alveoli break down, greatly reducing the surface area for respiratory exchange. The lungs begin to lose elasticity. These factors combine to allow stale air laden with carbon dioxide to be trapped in the lungs, reducing the effectiveness of normal breathing efforts.
Why does a COPD patient call 911 typically? - ✔✔ Usually the reason a COPD patient calls the ambulance is that a recent upper respiratory infection has caused an acute worsening of chronic disease.
What can cause an asthma attack? - ✔✔ Attacks can be precipitated by insect stings, air pollutants, infection, strenuous exercise, or emotional stress.
What happens to the body during an asthma attack? - ✔✔ When an asthma attack occurs, the small bronchioles that lead to the air sacs of the lungs become narrowed because of contractions of the muscles that make up the airway. To complicate matters, there is an overproduction of thick mucus.
Albuterol: - ✔✔ a medication that dilates the bronchial passageways by engaging beta receptors associated with the sympathetic nervous system. It is relatively fast-acting and is generally the first line of therapy in a bronchoconstricted patient.
Ipratopium Bromide: - ✔✔ a bronchodilator that accomplishes its goal by blocking bronchoconstriction associated with the parasympathetic nervous system. It is an anticholinergic medication. Ipratropium has a slower onset compared with albuterol, and also lasts longer.
DuoNeb™: - ✔✔ a formulation that combines both albuterol and ipratropium bromide. It therefore provides bronchodilation through beta stimulation and by blocking parasympathetic bronchoconstriction. This mix of medication is often used as a first-line agent to treat bronchoconstriction.
Neb/Inhaler side effects - ✔✔ Patients may experience an increased pulse rate, tremors, nervousness, or a "jittery" feeling.
Inhaler medications: - ✔✔ Examples of these medications include albuterol (Ventolin® HFA, Proventil®, Volmax®) and levalbuterol (Xopenex®).
What are wheezes - ✔✔ Wheezes are high-pitched sounds that will seem almost musical in nature. The sound is created by air moving through narrowed air passages in the lungs. It can be heard in a variety of diseases but is common in asthma and sometimes in chronic obstructive lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Wheezing is most commonly heard during expiration. [Show Less]