Nursing Management of COPD
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is one of the most common lung diseases. It generally defines the conditions which consist of regular difficulty in expelling or exhaling air from the lungs. The most common symptoms of COPD are a cough with mucus, shortness of breath (dyspnoea) which gets more severe with any mild activity, fatigue, frequently respiratory infections such as colds and influenza, and wheezing. The symptoms of COPD usually develop slowly. There are two major forms of COPD: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis consists of a long term cough with mucus. Emphysema is a gradual destruction of the lungs. Most people who have COPD have a combination of these forms because smoking is a major cause of both of them. Some severe symptoms may require hospital treatment. People should seek medical attention if they are having a hard time catching their breath or taking, see their lips or fingernails turning blue or gray (which is a sign of low COPD oxygen ...