How to tell if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Author: Tang Qin, Researcher of Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Zhang Jing, deputy chief physician, Peking University Third Hospital

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic disease among Chinese residents, just like hypertension and diabetes. Studies show that there are about 100 million COPD patients in my country.

1. Symptoms and causes of COPD

COPD patients may have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease or may only experience coughing and sputum production. Many patients often mistakenly believe that coughing is caused by smoking because they have been smoking for many years, so it is easy for them to ignore these early symptoms.

As the disease progresses, the patient's lung function will gradually decline. Usually, you may not feel anything, but when the amount of activity gradually increases, such as climbing stairs, running fast or doing heavy work, you will feel fatigue, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. As the disease gradually worsens, the patient will feel powerless even when walking on flat ground, and even eating, bathing, and dressing will become problems. If not treated in time, it may develop into respiratory failure and cor pulmonale.

So, what are the factors that cause COPD?

1. Smoking Smoking is the most important risk factor for COPD. The smoke and particles contained in tobacco will cause certain irritation to the airway epithelium. Over time, mucus secretion will increase, resulting in poor sputum discharge. At the same time, the cilia of the airway epithelium will become shorter and their function will be hindered, leading to the occurrence of COPD.

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2. Environmental exposure: Long-term exposure to dusty environments, or long-term work in foggy and polluted environments, are more likely to lead to the occurrence of COPD.

3. Exposure to indoor particulate matter: Some rural areas still continue the habit of burning wheat straw, firewood, etc. for cooking. If the cooking environment is not ventilated, it can easily lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the long run.

4. Gender: The incidence rate in males is higher than that in females.

5. Asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness Asthma patients have increased bronchial smooth muscle contraction, increased mucus gland secretion, and large amounts of sputum that block the airways, leading to wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Over time, this can cause a decrease in alveolar elasticity, leading to irreversible expiratory dyspnea and the development of COPD.

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6. Other factors: Poor lung growth and development, infection, genetics and other factors may also cause COPD.

2. Diagnosis and Assessment of COPD

COPD can be diagnosed in the following ways: ① Collect a detailed medical history to determine whether there are other diseases; ② Use chest X-ray and CT scans to determine whether there is chronic bronchitis and emphysema; ③ Complete pulmonary function tests to assess whether there is airway obstruction and the severity of the disease; ④ Draw blood for testing and evaluate the results of blood gas analysis to determine whether there is respiratory failure.

In addition, you can also conduct a self-assessment of COPD through a few small questions: ① Do you cough frequently? ② Do you cough up phlegm frequently? ③ Do you feel short of breath more easily than your peers when doing daily activities such as climbing stairs, walking the dog, shopping, etc.? ④ Are you over 40 years old? ⑤ Do you smoke now or often smoke? If you answer "yes" to more than 3 of the questions, then you may have COPD and should go to the hospital for further examination as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis.

What are the treatments for COPD?

COPD is a preventable and treatable disease, but it still has a high disability and mortality rate, which is inseparable from the fact that its early symptoms are hidden and easily ignored. Many people wait until the late stage of the disease when the symptoms are very serious before going to the hospital for treatment, thus delaying the best time for diagnosis and treatment.

The treatment of COPD varies depending on the severity of the patient's condition. Common treatments are as follows.

1. Mild COPD is mainly treated by inhalation, that is, by inhaling drugs to improve symptoms. Bronchodilators such as cholinergic receptor antagonists and beta-receptor agonists can be used. These drugs can relax airway smooth muscles and reduce the frequency of onset.

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In addition, you can take oral medications, such as those that have bronchial dilation and expectorant effects.

In addition to drug treatment, pulmonary rehabilitation training can also be performed, such as pulmonary rehabilitation exercises, pursed lip breathing, abdominal breathing, etc., to improve lung function.

Patients should pay attention to their health, reduce colds and avoid catching cold. They should quit smoking to avoid worsening their condition. They should also pay more attention to their environment and try to avoid places where smoking is common and places with serious air pollution. They should do more exercise, such as swimming, jogging, and Tai Chi, if appropriate.

2. Severe COPD: Patients with this condition have poor lung function. If they have respiratory failure and hypoxemia, in addition to inhaled medications, they are advised to receive home oxygen therapy. If they have severe respiratory failure, they can also use a ventilator for long-term treatment.

Of course, if conditions permit, patients can also choose surgical treatment (such as lung volume reduction surgery, lung transplantation, etc.). After the operation, under the premise of taking anti-rejection drugs, the patient's symptoms will be significantly improved, and they can even live like a normal person.

COPD has a certain genetic tendency, so for the sake of your own health and the health of the next generation, you must be kind to your body and stay away from cigarettes. After all, "prevention is better than cure."