了解慢性阻塞性肺病
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)is an umbrella term given to a group of chronic lung diseases that make it harder to breathe air out of the lungs.
These diseases includeemphysema,chronic bronchitis, and sometimesasthma. Certain diseases that causebronchiectasisalso lead to chronically obstructed lung airways. People who’ve been diagnosed with COPD typically have emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or both.
Everyone who’s diagnosed with emphysema is said to have COPD. However, it’s possible to be diagnosed with COPD and not have emphysema. A person can receive a COPD diagnosis while only having chronic bronchitis, for instance.
Emphysema is usually the direct result of years ofsmoking cigarettes. Its symptoms tend to affect people who are middle-aged or older. Chronic bronchitis, which can occur earlier or later in life, can also be caused by tobacco smoking.
Healthylungsfilter the air we breathe.
Your lungs trap pollutants with a thin layer of mucous coating. Tiny brushes known as cilia sweep away the harmful particles so that they can be removed from your lungs. When you cough, dirt and pollutants are brought up with the mucus.
Because smoking destroys the cilia, your lungs can’t work properly — there’s no proper way for the particles to get out. This results in damage to the tiny air sacs in the lungs calledalveoli. This damage occurs in people with emphysema.
Inflammation caused by smoking can lead to chronic bronchitis and damage the breathing tubes andbronchi, even though the alveoli may not yet be damaged permanently.
Effect on the alveoli
Think of the alveoli like tiny clusters of balloons. They inflate and deflate when you breathe. When the alveoli become damaged, however, they lose their ability to recoil properly. This in turn makes it difficult to breathe.
As alveoli become permanently stretched and their walls rupture, the lungs will have trouble taking in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. This forces theheartand lungs to work harder and decreases the oxygen available to other organs and tissues, causing further damage.
Not everyone who develops COPD hasa history of smoking cigarettes. Being exposed tosecondhand smokeover time can have a negative impact on your health as well.Smoking marijuanamay also cause COPD.
People who inhale fumes from fuels burned for cooking or have extended exposure to pollutants, such as workplace or environmental hazards, can also develop COPD. It’s also believed that genes may play a role in who develops COPD and how severe it is.
One knowngenetic causeof COPD is alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.了解更多关于the risk factors for COPD.
Damage to the lungs caused by emphysema isn’t reversible. However,emphysemaand other forms ofCOPDare treatable conditions.
In addition tobronchodilatorsandinhaled steroids, people with these conditions may be givenantibioticsto control infections. Other treatments include supplementaloxygen therapy.
In rare cases, lung volume reduction surgery or even alung transplantmay be required.
Lifestyle modificationscan make your life easier if you have one of these conditions. Modifying how you dohousework, cooking, and other chores may lessen your symptoms.
Keeping windows closed onpolluted daysand using air-conditioning inhigh humidityweather can also help.
Anyone who has COPD or wants to prevent it needs to give up smoking immediately. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking causes
Quitting smokingis often the first line of treatment for people with emphysema or other forms of COPD. Prescription oral medications, patches, and gum can all be used to helpdecrease nicotine cravings.
Little is known about howelectronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, exactly affect the lungs and whether they contribute to COPD or other lung diseases.
In addition tonicotine, the vapor in e-cigarettes can also contain heavy metals, superfine debris, and cancer-causing substances, including one called acrolein.
Many e-cigarette companies label their aerosols and flavorings as ingredients that are “generally regarded as safe,” but that is based on research about ingestion and swallowing of these substances in food, not inhalation.
More studies are needed to determine the full impact and potential risks that e-cigarettes pose to humans.
Although e-cigarettes are often marketed as a way to quit smoking in the traditional sense, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved this use. In 2016, the
The American Lung Associationrecommendsthat people who are trying to quit smoking use an
Besides quitting smoking,eating wellandmanaging stressalso helps with managing emphysema and other forms of COPD.
People with significant COPD are oftenunderweightand need vitamins, includingA,C, andE.Fruitsandvegetablesshould always be a part of your balanced diet.
It’s also important to manage other chronic diseases such asheart disease,diabetes相关知识,high blood pressureto decrease the risk forcomplicationsof COPD.
Stress also can aggravate COPD.Tai chiandyogaboth are ways to reduce stress and have shown promise in helping people manage emphysema.
COPD can usually be prevented by maintaining healthy habits. However, it remains thethird leading causeof death in the United States. COPD affects around30 millionpeople throughout the country.
除了戒烟或永远不会选择你p the habit, you can protect your lungs by avoiding pollutants. If you work in an environmentally hazardous job, discuss safety measures with your supervisor.