Essays on Hypersecretion

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Introduction Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease also known as COPD is a group of diseases which make breathing difficult by obstructing airflow and causing other breathing related problems (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). This disease which is described by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) as progressive because it worsens over time includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma in some cases (CDC, 2013; NHLBI, 2013a). In developing countries, poor quality of indoor air is suspected to play a major role in the disease development and progression whereas in the Unites States, tobacco smoke is reported ...

Describe the underlying pathology of COPD and the common pathological characteristics of the condition. Discuss the impact these pathological changes have on normal function, including how alveolar ventilation might be different in Mr Wenham compared to a normal individual. The hallmark pathological attributes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are one, poorly reversible airflow obstruction and two, a progressive atypical inflammatory response within the lungs. The abnormal inflammatory response denotes the responses of the innate and adaptive immune systems to long-standing exposure to noxious gases and particles especially cigarette smoke. Notably, all cigarette smokers have some degree of inflammation ...