COPD: A Case Study

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1. Wheezing occurs with COPD as the airways become more inflamed via the immune and inflammatory responses, smooth bronchial muscles contract, and congestion with increased mucus production causes turbulent airflow. This turbulent airflow will be heard on exhalation because of the narrowed and mucus logged airways (Mitchell, 2015). The increased mucus production occurs when inflammation causes hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the goblet cells (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012).

2. The feeling of fullness in the abdomen is related to the narrowing of pulmonary vessels from chronic long-term hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension. In turn, blood is backed up into the right ventricle of the heart causing systemic and dependent edema. This backflow of blood …show more content…

Shortness of breath or dyspnea in COPD happens because the demand for ventilation exceeds the person’s ability to meet the demand (Mitchell, 2015). The basics behind breathlessness in COPD is an increased ventilatory demand with a decreased capacity of the respiratory muscles to relax and generate forceful and efficient ventilation (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). CD8+ lymphocytes release enzymes causing apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells and pulmonary capillaries, creating a ventilation-perfusion mismatch as the body becomes hypoxic and hypercarbic (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). Decreased lung elasticity and compliance from fibrotic damage to air sacs are responsible for the inability to expand and recoil to generate effective ventilation. This loss of elasticity also causes air trapping, as the lungs are less effective at removing air (Brashier & Kodgule, 2012). The lungs become hyperinflated and contribute to dyspnea. Loss of parenchymal tissue causes decreased pressure and inability of alveoli to remain open. Less oxygen is able to pass the alveoli-capillary membrane into the red blood cells and less C02 is able to transfuse to be removed from the blood. Inflammation, mucus, apoptosis, fibrosis, loss of elastic recoil all lead to decreased oxygenation and ventilation causing the person to feel short of breath, particularly during exertion (Brashier & Kodgule,

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