Lie on your back on a flat surface with knees bent. Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. The condition is most often caused by smoking and the most important treatment is to stop smoking. Doctors cannot cure copd, but they can help to improve. Copd is a common lung disease affecting more than 12 million americans, both men and women. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd american. Gold global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease. Emphysema involves the alveoli or small air sacs being irritated. Condition description care management tips calcium pyrophosphate deposition cppd is a type of arthritis. The muscles used in breathing might require 10 times more calories than those of a person without copd. Copd stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a serious lung disease. Copd chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medlineplus.
Quitting smoking beyond the basics professional level information professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up to date. Calcium pyrophosphate deposition cppd is a type of. Cdc collaborated with the national institutes of health and other federal agencies to develop the copd national action plan a patientcentered road map for addressing copd, one of the most urgent health concerns facing americans. Cdc resources chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also called copd and asthma are both diseases of the lungs that make it hard for you to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema living well with copd. This often means a worsening of breathlessness and an increase in coughing, with more phlegm sputum. Scientific information and recommendations for copd programs. An acute exacerbation is more commonly known as a flareup. If you have copd, the good news is that there are steps you can take to control the symptoms of copd and slow down the ongoing damage to your lungs.
Breathing requires more energy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd is an umbrella term for people with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd is a preventable and treatable lung disease. Better living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a patient guide outlines the important steps that will make you feel better, such as. However, patients with restrictive lung disease may also be good candidates. Patients receive a wealth of copd information that includes interactive discussions, game playing, short presentations, demonstrations, a copd workbook, and handouts, hart said.
Over time the air sacs get stiff and will not let oxygen into and carbon dioxide out of your blood. As you avoid activities, you do less, and your muscles weaken and breathlessness often worsens. Copd provider chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd patient handout ib 101157 author. Support groups are also the ats patient information series is a public service of the american thoracic society and its. Many people describe the shortness of breath associated with copd as air hunger. People with copd and other lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis can develop a swallowing dysfunction called dysphagia. Select copd foundation educational materials are available through free pdf watermarked downloads. This is a guide designed to provide evidencebased recommendations for clinicians about how to address and treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd.
We also tested this educational program as part of a clinical trial. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of copd. Copd resources for health and community professionals. Cppd used to be called pseudogout because it is easily mistaken for gout. They learn about their lung disease and medications, learn how to recognize infections so they can start an action plan and avoid hospitalization. Now that you know its copd, heres how to breathe better. Smokers cough chronic coughing wheezing emphysema shortness of breath. Copd is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time. It is common and an important cause of illness and death. Treatment and maintenance of dysphagia introductionto make treatment most effective the clinician must. The information contained in this document is for educational use only. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a serious lung disease that worsens over time, your. People living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd often have trouble breathing every day.
When you feel breathless, you avoid the activities that make you feel breathless. Emphysema is a type of copd chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. To breathe through pursed lips, follow these steps. Early in the disease, people with copd may feel short of breath when they exercise. This handout explains what happens with this chronic longlasting condition, and what you can do to manage or prevent it. Copd stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and includes such conditions as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Most people with copd have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but how severe each type is can be different from person to person. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd beyond the basics, section on pulmonary function tests pfts. Copd is a condition where it is difficult to breathe and completely empty air from the lungs. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Summary of patient care information for primary health care professionals. Breathing exercises and techniques for copd before starting these techniques, ask your health care provider if they are right for you. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd copd is a common lung disease. Michigan medicine clinical care guidelines resources for people with copd 2 address. An important part of living with copd is finding the right support, both for you and your caregivers. Diet and nutrition for energy with copd cleveland clinic. The treatment of patients with copd is complex and. Copd is chronic bronchitis and emphysema chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd is a common lung disease, affecting 16 million americans, and the number is growing. Normally, the airways and air sacs in your lungs are elastic or stretchy. In cppd, calcium pyrophosphate crystals form in the blood and settle in joint cartilage.
I found these materials easy to use and easy to explain to patientsfamilies. The learn more breathe better program offers a variety of educational resources to help increase awareness and understanding about lung diseases and conditions. An ongoing cough or a cough that produces large amounts of mucus often called smokers cough shortness of breath, especially with physical activity wheezing a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe chest tightness these symptoms often occur years before the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Smoking is the most common cause of copd, but breathing secondhand smoke, dust at work, or fumes from stoves, heaters, or chemicals can also cause it. Doctors can help people with copd continue reading patients and advocacy groups. Whilst copd is not a contagious disease, it is the second leading cause of avoidable hospital admissions in australia4. And when its hard to breathe, its normal to get anxious, making you feel even more short of breath. An ongoing cough or a cough that produces large amounts of mucus often called smokers cough shortness of breath, especially with physical activity wheezing a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe chest tightness these symptoms often occur years before the flow of air into and out of the. Medical experts and patients with copd people just like you worked together to update this program that you can customize for yourself. There you can order singlecopy free samples or purchase two or more copies of educational materials. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs offer supervised exercise and education for those with breathing problems see ats handout on pulmonary rehabilitation in a forthcoming issue. They are also great ways to help you breathe better when you are short of breath cant catch your breath, during anxious times or during activities. National1 and international2,3 guidelines agree that patient education and selfmanagement are valuable for people with copd. They also receive training and tools to use at home for selfmanagement.
Patients participating in a pulmonary rehab program learn to control their short ness of breath by using different breathing techniques. With the right pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies, people with copd can lead active, independent and productive lives. They include understanding booklets, med facts, test facts, medication handouts and more. The parts of your incentive spirometer are labeled in figure 1. Copd also known as emphysema or chronic bronchitisis a serious disease that partially blocks the airways, or tubes, that carry air in and out of the lungs. Understand the patients medical problems causing the dysphagia, as well as the patients swallowing physiology. Copd chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.
About your incentive spirometer an incentive spirometer is a device that will expand your lungs by helping you to breathe more deeply and fully. Determinants of poor inhaler technique in asthma and copd patients include. Go back to patient education resources learn about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd order our living well with copd guide here. If you or someone in your family has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd, or if you think you may be at risk, explore this page to find answers to your questions and resources that are available to help you.
For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd, this saves energy. Although copd cannot be cured, it can be effectively treated. If the patient cannot be adequately oxygenated, complications, such as pulmonary embolism or edema. Patients and advocacy groups global initiative for. Patient education lung disease and swallowing copd is a disease of the respiratory system. Longterm cigarette smoking causes nearly all cases of copd. Optimizing identification and management of copd patients rug. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd refers to two lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, that make it hard to breathe. Copd medications in addition to the measures discussed above see general measures above, the treatment of copd involves medication therapy. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd is a preventable and treatable lung disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd patient.
Understanding copd national jewish health authors free downloadable patient education materials to provide you and your family the information and tools to help manage your disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease intermountain. Provides education and support to increase patients skills and confidence in managingtheir health problems. These resources, some printable, can help you start a conversation about cessation with patients and remind them that quitting tobacco use is a commitment to better health. When you breathe in, the airways bring air to the air sacs. Copd is a general name for a group of lung diseases. The plan reflects input from many members of the copd community, including patients, caregivers, health care providers, and. How to use ellipta patient education guide learn with an interactive training engaging animations good inhaler technique. Better living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Breathing exercises can relieve copd symptoms diaphragmatic breathing diaphragmatic breathing helps strengthen the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles, allowing more air to move in and out of your lungs without tiring your chest muscles. See where you can find help from others who share common experiences, get tips on paying for care and learn how you can advocate to improve the lives of others with copd. The air sacs fill up with air, like a small balloon.
In many cases an exacerbation is caused by an infection in the lungs, but in some cases, the cause is never known. Screening for copd is recommended for patients with. This product makes easier to explain the impact of copd on swallowing and how speech therapy can provide support. Effective or controlled coughing has just enough force to loosen and carry mucus through the airways without causing them to narrow and collapse. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd treatments beyond the basics patient education. Smoking is the most important cause of these diseases, although nonsmokers can also get copd. Copd is a common lung disease affecting more than 12 million. Copd can cause your lungs to produce excess mucus, leading to frequent coughing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd spanish. Increases medicine effect the content of this document is the you step1.