Learning
Objectives
Upon
successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Define
the term COPD and discuss what is meant by it.
- Discuss
the etiology of COPD and chronic bronchitis.
-
Explain how these orders are diagnosed.
- Describe
the prevention protocols associated with these disorders.
-
Identify and discuss management techniques and tools for treating
these disorders.
Introduction
Chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common conditions
in adults in developed countries. The burden of COPD is enormous
in terms of direct cost to healthcare services and indirect costs
to society through loss of productivity. Approximately 80-90% of
COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking; a smoker is ten times
more likely than a nonsmoker to die of COPD. The remaining 10-20%
of COPD cases are attributed to frequent lung infections and exposure
to specific industrial pollutants.
Chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an extremely imprecise term
used to describe a wide variety of chronic respiratory conditions.
In this module, the acronym COPD is used to refer to chronic bronchitis
and emphysema, although much of the information is equally applicable
to other conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiolitis.
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