Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of respiratory disease whereby a patient experiences long term breathing difficulties due to inadequate airflow. The disease is making the breathing airways compress hence leading to poor airflow resulting in breathing difficulties. Other symptoms of this disease include; shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. The disease is common, particularly in adults thought the world. As per the statistics done by the World Health Organization (WHO), 65 million people have COPD, whether mild or severe. In 2005, it recorded 3 million deaths globally, while it has caused an equal number of deaths in Singapore between 2000 and 2012. This made it the third most lethal disease in the entire globe. COPD was ranked at number ten among the deadliest diseases in Singapore in 2014.

Current Knowledge

Currently, smoking has been identified as the leading cause of contracting COPD. The linings of the lung’s airways are damaged when a person is a regular smoker. Another known cause is the lack of a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin, which provides enough protein to keep the lungs protected from damage and serious lung disease. Pulmonary function testing is used to determine whether or not COPD infects a person. During the test, a spirometer is the most important tool that is used. This test is, however, conducted together with chest x-ray screening. Current treatments include; corticosteroids, oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, antibiotics, and surgery.

Gaps in understanding

Different forms of treatment can help improve the quality of life and ease symptoms. However, there have been numerous studies conducted for the cure of COPD, but currently, there is no known cure.

Impacts of Colloids on Patient Outcome

A comparison of the findings from various studies has been made for discussion to find out the impact of colloids on patients with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease.

On research on Molecular imaging on pulmonary diseases, Kashefi, Kuo and Shelton concluded that “soluble radio aerosols such as technetium-99m diethylene triamine pentacetate (DTPA) allow simple quantitative studies of alveolar-capillary permeability to be performed since the submicronic aerosols are deposited mainly at the lung periphery and are cleared across the alveolar-capillary membrane”( Kashefi, Kuo & Shelton, 2011). The radionuclide technique was also able to realize various regional alterations in permeability. The study involved a test on normal subject and a test on altered lungs due to smoking, and glue sniffing COPD. Other subjects were lung metastases from thyroid cancer patients and inpatient inhalation burns. 24 COPD patient scans done with tc-99m tin colloid radio aerosol were able to provide inhalation scans.

Another study on the clinical application of radio aerosol, a test was carried out among patients with pulmonary embolism, COPD, and inhalation burns. In the lungs, fluid exchange occurs in the alveolar-capillary membrane. It is a membrane that is formed by the alveolar epithelium and the capillary endothelium. On the other hand, the fluid exchange mechanism is dependent on intravascular and interstitial hydrostatic and oncotic pressures. The permeability of the membrane is also a vital factor. Damage can, however, occur on the alveolar or capillary component. This can easily lead to a high permeability pulmonary oedema regardless of the tough alveolar epithelium membrane. Technetium-99m DTPA radio aerosol helped in the measurement of pulmonary epithelial permeability alterations. It also helped image and differentiate ventilation distribution between a normal and a pathological breathing system.

COPD is a respiratory disease, is associated with short breath and inadequate airflow. According to both studies, colloids were found to worsen the patient’s conditions. Exposure to colloids could lead to a continuous lack of breath for COPD patients. COPD symptoms worsen, and there are chances that it might lead to “chronic bronchitis” and “emphysema” due to persistent breathlessness. Colloids, therefore, generally worsen COPD conditions. Other factors that contribute to the worsening of the COPD symptoms include smoking, indoor and outdoor air pollution, occupational air hazards, and childhood respiratory infections. COPD can be reduced through various prevention techniques, including avoidance of general pollution and tobacco smoking. This will lead to a global reduction of COPD cases.

Conclusion

Colloids lead to persistence in COPD symptoms. COPD is a case related to the respiratory system. It is an untreatable disease caused by factors such as smoking, indoor and outdoor air pollution, occupational air hazards, and childhood respiratory infections. Studies comparing the effect of colloids on normal lungs and COPD lungs show that Exposure to colloids could lead to a continuous lack of breath for COPD patients. Since COPD can not be treated, a measure scan is taken to control its prevalence and avoid the numerous deaths caused in countries like Singapore. This includes avoiding causes such as glue sniffing and tobacco smoking.

References

Kashefi, A., Kuo, J., & Shelton, D. K. (2011). Molecular imaging in pulmonary diseases. American Journal of Roentgenology, 197(2), 295-307.