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What I learned from my COPD case study
What I learned from my COPD case study
What I learned from my COPD case study
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a group of progressive lung diseases that block airflow and make it hard to breathe. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common types of COPD (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016, p 557). Primary symptoms include coughing, mucus, chest pain, shortness of breath, and wheezing (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016, p.557). COPD develops slowly and worsens over time if not treated during early stages. The disease has no cure, but medication and disease management can slow its progress and make one feel better (NIH, 2013) The principle cause of the COPD is long-term exposure to harmful airborne chemicals and particles. The best way for COPD patients to avoid getting worse is to avoid smoking (WebMD, 2016). …show more content…
To effectively manage COPD it is essential for patients to monitor themselves by writing a list of dates and times when experiencing symptoms and reactions to treatments. (Lung Chicago Managing COPD, 2016). Understanding a patient’s personal disease characteristics will help in determining treatment to prevent exacerbations. To maintain stable condition of the disease, COPD patients need to understand and reduce risk factors. Counseling programs such as smoking cessations need to be available for COPD patients as part of their treatment. Pharmacotherapy for the disease is also used to reduce its symptoms and difficulties on …show more content…
Oxygen, inhaled bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, combination inhalers, oral steroids, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors and theophylline are effective medications for COPD (Mayo Clinic, 2016). “Patients with COPD have persistent high levels of CO2, their respiratory centers no longer respond to increased levels of CO2 by stimulating breathing. Therefore, COPD patients with more severe hypoxemia are at higher risk of CO2 retention from uncontrolled CO2 administration” (Van Houten, p. 13). For nurses, “It is important to administer the lowest amount of O2 necessary to patients” (Van Houten, p. 13). Some COPD medicines are used with inhaler and nebulizer devices. It is important to teach patients how to use these devices correctly. (Potter & Perry,
The presented case is of a patient named R.S. who has a smoking history of many years, which can be directly tied to his development of chronic bronchitis, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) specified as Type B. It is estimated that in 90% of chronic bronchitis or “blue bloaters”, cigarette smoking is the major cause. Chronic bronchitis involves persistent and irreversible airway obstruction, due to the constant inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, leading to hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bronchial glands. The latter exposes the individual to higher risks of bacterial infections; often colonization of organisms such as Streptococcus or Staphyloccocus pneumoniae can be exhibited. This is due to the lost or impaired function of mucociliary clearance action which results from the replacement of certain sections of ciliated columnar epithelium by squamous cells in the bronchi. (Copstead &Banasik, 546-547)
R.S. has chronic bronchitis. According to the UC San Francisco Medical Center “Chronic bronchitis is a common type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in which the air passages in the lungs — the bronchi — are repeatedly inflamed, leading to scarring of the bronchi walls. As a result, excessive amounts of sticky mucus are produced and fill the bronchial tubes, which become thickened, impeding normal airflow through the lungs.” (Chronic Bronchitis 2015) There are many things that can be observed as clinical findings. R.S. will have a chronic cough that has lasted from 3 months to two years or more, and a lot of sputum. The sputum is due to
Mrs. Jones has a history of COPD. She was already taking albuterol for her illness and it was ineffective when she took it that day. Mrs. Jones had been a smoker but had quit several years ago. According to Chojnowski (2003), smoking is a major causative factor in the development of COPD. Mrs. Jones's primary provider stated that she had a mixed type of COPD. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) was established to address the growing problem of COPD. The GOLD standards identify three conditions that contribute to the structural changes found in COPD: Chronic bronchiolitis, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. A mixed diagnosis means that the patient has a combination of these conditions (D., Chojnowski, 2003). Mrs. Jones chronically displayed the characteristic symptoms of COPD. "The characteristic symptoms are cough, sputum production, dyspnea on exertion, and decreased exercise tolerance." (D., Chojnowski, 2003, p. 27).
Previous research used noninvasive ventilation to help those with COPD improve their altered level of consciousness by allowing the alveoli to be ventilated and move the trapped carbon dioxide out of the lungs. When too much carbon dioxide is in the blood, the gas moves through the blood-brain barrier and causes an acidosis within the body, because not enough carbon dioxide is being blown off through ventilation. The BiPAP machine allows positive pressure to enter the lungs, expand all the way to the alveoli, and create the movement of air and blood. Within the study, two different machines were used; a regular BiPAP ventilator and a bilevel positive airway pressure – spontaneous/timed with average volume assured pressure support, or AVAPS. The latter machine uses a setting for a set tidal volume and adjusts based on inspiratory pressure.
I felt the best way to answer this issue was to gain a better understanding of both COPD and why patients found it hard to break the habit of smoking and what methods had been most successful in helping smokers to become
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that affects millions of United States citizens. It is the third leading cause of death because there is no cure for the disease. The best way to fight COPD is to make sure that people that have high risk factors, such as smoking and AATD get tested immediately to slow down the process of the disease.
The purpose of this essay is to explore nursing care priorities for a patient with a common health condition. A common health condition is a disease or condition which occurs most often within a population. The author has chosen scenario 3 for this essay and will describe the nursing assessment and care planning provided to a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The WHO definition of COPD is a lung disease which has a chronic obstruction of the airways that impedes normal breathing and is not fully reversible (). According to), there are estimated to be over 3 million people in the UK with COPD. It is common in later life and there are approximately 25,000 deaths each year, with 15% of COPD being work related (The identity of the patient will remain anonymous in adherence with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Code of Conduct on patient confidentiality (). However, the patient will be referred to as Mr B in this essay. The author has chosen the priority of eating and drinking for Mr B. Patients with COPD are at increased risk of malnutrition and nurses must make certain they screen patients and offer advice or refer as necessary (). If this priority is managed well it will have a positive effect on the other priorities (, 2012). In accordance with NICE Guideline 101 (), the treatment and care provided should consider each persons’ individual requirements and preference. Care and treatment should take into account people’s individual needs and choices. To allow people to reach informed decisions there must be good communication, supported by evidence-based practice (). This essay will provide an evidence based discussion on how care will be implemented in relation to Mr B and his eating and drin...
The functioning of the chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) is that it has a permanent decrease in the ability to force air out of the lungs. Consequently, it causes emphysema to become a more advanced disease with no cure. Emphysema is known for their permanent enlargement of the alveoli, which are accompanied by the destruction of the alveolar walls. The lungs lose their elasticity, so it loses its ability to recoil passively during expiration. People who have emphysema becomes exhausted fast because they need about fifteen to twenty percent of their body energy to breath which is more than what a healthy person needs. Smoking inhibits and destroys cilia in the conducting zone structures, which is the line of defense for the respiratory system.
J.P., a 58 year old female, presents to the Emergency Room on March 18th. She has a past medical history of cervical cancer, atheroembolism of the left lower extremity, fistula of the vagina, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, glaucoma, GERD, depression, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and sickle cell anemia. She complains of right lower extremity pain accompanied by fatigue, a decreased appetite, increased work of breathing, burning on urination, and decreased urine output for three days.
One of the long-term breathlessness is usually caused by obesity or being unfit. Other is asthma that is not controlled properly. Moreover, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is not temporarily damage to the lungs usually caused by prolonged of smoking.
1. What is the difference between a. and a. Which K, S, and A pertain to the care you provided to the patient you have chosen? Why do you need to be a member? K- Describe the limits and boundaries of therapeutic patient-centered care. S- Assess levels of physical and emotional comfort.
Vestbo, J., (2011), Clinical Assessment of COPD, COPD: a Guide to Diagnosis and Clinical Management, pp. 21-33, New York: Springer Science & Business Media
Aerosol therapy in the past decade has evolved faster than its initial years after emerging as a primary form of treatment in respiratory diseases involving both congenital and acquired diseases. This type of inhalation therapy focuses on the delivery of the medications that have been directly or indirectly injected into the lower and upper airways for either local or systemic effects. The greatest advantage of aerosol therapy is the ability to treat patients with smaller doses which, over time, yields minimal adverse effects for non-specific drugs, along with being the most rapid in treatment response time. Modern aerosol medications are made to be compatible with certain devices, such as metered dose inhalers, dry powered inhalers, and nebulizers, each of which have certain advantages and disadvantages depending on appropriateness of delivery and treatment. The particle size of these different applicators are crucial in deciding the location in the body in which the drug is to be delivered.
Parker, Steve. "Chronic Pulmonary Diseases." The Human Body Book. New ed. New York: DK Pub., 2007.
Vijayan, V. K. (2013). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Indian Journal Of Medical Research, 137(2), 251-269.