COPD COPD is characterized by airflow limitation that is poorly reversible. Cumulative‚ chronic exposure to cigarette smoking is the number one cause of the disease‚ but repeated exposure to secondhand smoke‚ air pollution and occupational exposure (to coal‚ cotton‚ grain) are also important risk factors. Chronic inflammation plays a major role in COPD pathophysiology. Smoking and other airway irritants cause neutrophils‚ T-lymphocytes‚ and other inflammatory
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COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. COPD refers to two lung diseases‚ emphysema‚ and chronic bronchitis and is an obstruction to breathing that decreases air exchange in the lungs. Emphysema does not always coexist with chronic bronchitis. Asthma‚ Pulmonary Fibrosis‚ or Pulmonary Hypertension is not diagnosed as COPD. Some people may think they simply have a "smoker’s cough" or that breathlessness is just a part of getting older. It
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Asthma is a condition in which a person’s airways become inflamed‚ narrow‚ and swell‚ and make extra mucus‚ which makes it difficult to breathe. If you have asthma its very difficult breathing through your airways. They become more even swollen and the muscles around the airways can tighten when something triggers your symptoms. Common asthma triggers are allergies‚ tobacco‚ medication‚ emotional anxiety and stress‚ viral and bacterial infections. Symptoms of asthma are coughing‚ shortness of
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In the article‚ The Differences Between COPD and Asthma by Linda Ruiz‚ it is discussed that many patients believe the symptoms they experience related to asthma‚ when in fact‚ it is actually COPD. Being able to determine the difference between asthma and COPD is a factor in effect treatment for the two diseases. Although‚ it is extremely difficult to distinguish asthma and COPD‚ there are some characteristic that establish a difference between the two. COPD consists of two lung diseases‚ chronic
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Immediately following the placement of the catheter‚ begin selecting the NAVA level‚ or the sensitivity of the catheter that is needed to pick up the electrical activity. Neuromuscular signal strength will greatly alter the level needed to support the patient. For example‚ stronger neuromuscular signals will need a decreased NAVA level to provide ventilation‚ while weak neuromuscular signals will require a higher NAVA level. A calculation can be done to estimate the level of PEEP needed. The calculation
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Cystic fibrosis is a life – shortening inherited disorder that affects the way in which salt and water move into and out of the body’s cells. It effects mostly the lungs and the digestive system; where thick mucus blocks the small tubes and ducts of the pancreas. (Orenstein) The classic triad of exocrine abnormalities are pancreatic insufficiency‚ chronic recurrent pulmonary infections and an elevated sweat electrolyte concentration. At birth the pancreas shows signs of disease and the lungs appear
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Cystic fibrosis is a crippling disease that affects thousands of people worldwide. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease of the secretory glands that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. It causes cells to produce thick and sticky mucus‚ sweat‚ and digestive juices that block airways‚ ducts‚ and passageways. There is no cure‚ but there are ways to manage symptoms. According to the World Health Organization‚ the occurrence of cystic fibrosis varies across
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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome In the field of respiratory therapy‚ we are the fighters that must preserve the breath of life. The battlefield we wage war on is riddled with many diseases and hardships for us to help our patients overcome by any means necessary. One of the main heavy hitters in this battle is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This condition is very deadly and is a tough opponent that must be defeated. ARDS is a dangerous condition affecting a vast group of patients
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Patient Interaction A full medical history and examination was taken from this patient suffering from recurrent acute exacerbations of COPD and heart failure. This 79 year old female has suffered with what she describes as a bad chest for over ten years frequently experiencing dyspnoea and chest infections. She recalls suffering many exacerbations and put this down to experiencing asthma attacks. The patient admitted she had smoked 10 cigarettes a day for 64 years- a 32 pack year history. She
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Using the guidelines in Wilson & Giddens ’ Ch. 11 and videos‚ perform a respiratory assessment process on a patient or a significant other. Write up your findings following the guidelines and post them here. It is important for nurses in all practice settings to be able to perform a basic respiratory assessment. This includes taking a pertinent patient history and using the techniques of inspection‚ palpation‚ percussion‚ and auscultation. Immediately upon meeting a patient I am looking to
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