COPD - Prevention

·         COPD - Prevention

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o    The lungs are different from most of the other organs in your body because their delicate tissues are directly connected to the outside environment. Anything you breathe in can affect your lungs. Germs, tobacco smoke and other harmful substances can cause damage to your airways and threaten the lungs ability to work properly.

o    Your body has a natural defence system designed to protect the lungs. This works very well most of the time to keep out dirt and fight off germs. But there are some important things you can do to reduce your risk of lung disease.

·         Don't Smoke

·         SUMMARY

·         Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD and lung cancer. Cigarette smoke can narrow the air passages and make breathing more difficult. It causes chronic inflammation or swelling in the lung. This can lead to chronic bronchitis. Over time cigarette smoke destroys lung tissue, and may trigger changes that grow into cancer.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) a common preventable and treatable disease, is characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is usually progressive and associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles or gases. Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients.

·         Worldwide, the most commonly encountered risk factor for COPD is tobacco smoking. In many countries, outdoor, occupational and indoor air pollution - the latter resulting from the burning od biomass fuels - are also major COPD risk factor.

·         clinical diagnosis should be considered in any patient who has dyspnea, chronic cough, or sputum production, and a history of exposure to risk for the disease. Spirometry is required to make the diagnosis in the clinical context.

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·         Reference:

AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIANTION http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/copd/about-copd/preventing-copd.html

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