COPD is an obstructive lung disease that can be exhibited in patients as asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema.
Each of the obstructive lung diseases have specific characteristics that may manifest itself in the form of increased thickness and consistency of sputum production, wheezing, and acute shortness of breath.
COPD is treatable and manageable once it is accurately diagnosed according to the characteristics manifested. COPD education and bronchodilator management are usually the tools provided to the COPD patients to be used in their home settings.
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation?
It is defined by the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) (2013) as an event change that occurs within the patients’ lungs that may cause shortness of breath (dyspnea) and/or an increase in the amount of sputum production while coughing.
These would be noted as considerable changes from a patient’s normal day variations and would be considered acute in onset. It is at this time that a reconciliation of the bronchodilator medications will need to be implemented to treat the patient.
Spirometry is one of the recommended diagnostic testing for diagnosing COPD.
This test can be performed on either an outpatient or inpatient basis. Persistent airflow limitation, or COPD, is confirmed when test results show an FEV1/FVC of less than 0.70 after a patient uses a bronchodilator.
This test is often the precursor to a physician ordering a full pulmonary function test with diffusion lung gas testing included. Testing can be ordered by the physician on an outpatient basis.
Alternative diagnostic testing would be the testing for Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency. AAT deficiency is a genetic condition that can lead to COPD.
Being diagnosed at a relatively young age (less than 45 years old) should also alert doctors to the possibility that AAT deficiency is the underlying cause for COPD. Augmentation therapy is the recommended treatment for COPD caused by AAT deficiency (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, 2011).
Smoking
• Lack of participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program
• Improper use of inhalers
• Poor adherence to drug therapy programs
These are issues that can be discussed with your physician. Remember to always ask for demonstrations on how to properly use your inhalers.
Make sure that you have the correct method of administration to receive the most from your bronchodilator therapy. If you have medical issues that affect usage of your hands to administer the inhaler, another form of administration such as aerosol therapy maybe an alternative.
Also, speak with your physician about the correct time sequences that you should take your respiratory medications for clarity.
Oftentimes patients are uncertain and noncompliant with the daily regimen of taking their “breathing medicine” and this results in exacerbations, ER visits and hospitalization.
Evelyn Jackson is a contributor to The Enterprise-Tocsin. A native of Ruleville, Jackson is a lifelong health care professional and is currently a Ph.D. candidate.
