Reference no: EM132565607

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a complication of smoking. The syndrome includes aspects of emphysema and bronchitis. It usually develops slowly during middle age or later. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. COPD has no cure because extensive damage to the respiratory system cannot be repaired. It occurs more frequently in women than in men. The early symptoms include difficulty breathing and possible wheezing when a person can't catch his or her breath. Because of the damage to the pulmonary tract, pneumonia often results, as do weight loss and depression. Damage to the respiratory system is caused by the extensive inflammation resulting from the intake of primary or secondary smoke. COPD is diagnosed by the use of pulmonary function tests, a chest X-ray, and an examination of arterial blood gases to estimate the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. Although there is no cure, bronchodilators can open patients' air passages to help breathing and steroids can be used to inhibit inflammation. About 10% of COPD cases are caused by air pollution.

Questions

1. If a person is a smoker, how will he or she know if difficulty breathing is just an effect of cigarette smoke, or that he or she has COPD?

2. What are the differences in the course of the disease between men and women?