Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is the result of damage to the lining of the bronchi — the branching tubes which carry air from the main windpipe (trachea) to the lung tissue. This results in airflow obstruction that is progressive and, unlike asthma, does not vary each day or even month by month.

Some people are more predisposed to COPD than others, however, the majority of patients have it as a result of environmental factors, in particular smoking. The majority of COPD sufferers are older people, however, the problem is widespread. There are about a million people diagnosed with COPD in England and a further 500,000 may have the condition, but are not yet diagnosed. This leads to one million bed days and total care for COPD costs the NHS about £1 billion per year.

Symptoms

The symptoms of coughing and breathlessness are a result of lung damage due to two conditions — chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The damaged lining of the bronchi leads to narrowing of these tubes, and the symptoms of cough, sputum and shortness of breath.

Treatments

• The most effective form of treatment is to avoid the conditions that cause the symptoms, i.e. give up smoking.
• Maintaining fitness can also help as this keeps the lungs working to their best. Stamina, strength and fitness can be improved through physiotherapy and physical activity such as walking. Many hospitals have pulmonary rehabilitation schemes to help those with COPD understand how to improve their lifestyle.
• Antibiotics can be used to treat infections caused by a COPD attack, however, these are not used to manage the condition day to day.
• For those suffering from an exacerbation, oxygen can be used for the relief of breathlessness.
• There are a number of other drugs that are generally more affective for asthma sufferers, but can bring about benefit to some COPD patients. These include bronchodilators — which improve breathing by opening up the narrowed bronchi — and inhaled steroids.