-
- QUESTION
There is a clear relationship between emphysema and COPD, explain the pathophysiology of emphysema and the relationship to COPD.
150-250 words
A 66-year-old female with a 50 pack/year history of cigarette smoking had a CT scan and was diagnosed with emphysema. He asks if this means he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Question:
1. There is a clear relationship between emphysema and COPD, explain the pathophysiology of emphysema and the relationship to COPD.
| Subject | Nursing | Pages | 2 | Style | APA |
|---|
Answer
-
Emphysema and COPD
The human body is divided into different systems, working together co-currently, ensuring normal body functioning. However, each system has ailments that cause the body’s abnormality in functioning. While these ailments exist in different body systems, those occurring in the same system may be related. For example, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and emphysema occur in the pulmonary system. Still, in determining the relationship between COPD and emphysema, understanding emphysema’s pathophysiology is paramount.
Pathophysiology of Emphysema
As a pulmonary disease, emphysema is a disease that affects the lungs, destroying the lungs through air sac damage caused by alveolar cell apoptosis. Emphysema is caused by increased cigarette smoking that affects air intake into the lungs (Goldklang & Stockley, 2016). Excessive cigarette smoking leads to the lungs' air sacs, known as the alveoli, getting damaged by weakening the air sac walls. The alveoli are in charge of air exchange, where oxygen is taken up by the body during inhalation and carbon dioxide out during exhalation. Goldklang and Stockley (2016) explain that the continued exposure to cigarette smoke leads to the inflammation of the alveoli. Inflammation of the pulmonary system through cigarette-smoke exposure increases the production of proteinases and oxidants that damage the alveoli, increasing lung damage. In addition, cigarette smoke exposure increases strain on the alveolar walls, therefore, increased size of alveoli leads to bigger and fewer air sacs compared to the numerous and small needed for maximizing air intake into the body(Goldklang & Stockley, 2016). Therefore, individuals diagnosed with emphysema will have the common characteristic of shortness of breath as the main symptom.
Relation of COPD and Emphysema
Roland (2018) explains COPD as a long-standing ailment that affects the lungs, increasing the inability of an individual to breathe. COPD comes with the progression of a disease of the lungs that worsens over time, affecting the air sacs through damaging them (Roland, 2018). Some of the related diseases that increase an individual’s risk of COPD are chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. The relationship between COPD and emphysema emanates from emphysema occurring later after the damage of the lungs where the alveoli are damaged, hence, emphysema (MacGill, 2018). As a form of COPD, emphysema happens as the end-stage of COPD, characterized by shortness of breath and insufficient oxygen in the body.
References
Goldklang, M., & Stockley, R. (2016). Pathophysiology of Emphysema and Implications. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, 3(1), 454–458. https://doi.org/10.15326/jcopdf.3.1.2015.0175
MacGill, M. (2018, March 23). Emphysema: Symptoms, treatment, and causes. Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8934
Roland, J. (2018, November 12). COPD Pathophysiology: Physical Changes, Effect on the Lungs and More. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/copd/pathophysiology#disease-progression