Introduction
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a severe condition that threatens public health. Awareness of medical workers and the community about this disease will allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment. The main danger of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the prolonged absence of symptoms. The consequences of the disease without timely treatment include death due to respiratory failure. Identifying early symptoms is the key to timely treatment that can save patients’ lives.
Definition
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an increasing cause of death in older people. This disease in 2019 was among the top three in terms of mortality after ischemia and stroke (World Health Organization, 2020). The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects the small bronchi, leading to respiratory failure due to the narrowing of the bronchial lumen (Saladin 2020). The elasticity of the lungs decreases, and the ability to contract and expand during breathing (Saladin, 2020). The most common symptoms are shortness of breath and daily cough with macroscopic discharge (Riley & Sciurba, 2019). An aggravating factor is smoking; the consequences of long-term smoking can also hide the symptoms of this disease (Saladin, 2020). Cough is one of the earliest precursors of the disease, at first episodic, then becoming daily.
Consequences
Complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are severe and can be fatal. As a result of the progression of the disease, infections, respiratory failure, and chronic cor pulmonale develop (Saladin, 2020). The condition can provoke the development of bronchogenic carcinoma, but it is not a direct consequence (Saladin, 2020). Respiratory failure at the initial stage is characterized by shortness of breath. Cor pulmonale is an enlargement of the right side of the heart that occurs when blood pressure rises due to lung disease (Saladin, 2020). Unfortunately, the condition is not always possible to notice before the onset of severe consequences.
Critical Thinking
Mnemonic Techniques
Using communication mnemonics to memorize information about chronic obstructive respiratory disease is profitable: memorization through already-known knowledge and visualization. Students clearly understand the respiratory system structure; they can immediately build a connection between the disease and the bronchi. Further, they can imagine how the condition compresses people’s throats, preventing them from breathing and saturating the blood with oxygen. Using the obtained associations, it is possible to conclude the main symptoms: cough due to bronchial damage and shortness of breath due to respiratory failure.
Importance of the Topic
This topic is crucial for public health and the protection of older people from this disease. The main problem is that the disease is difficult to detect in the early stages due to similar symptoms to other respiratory and cardiac diseases. Raising awareness about the early signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is essential, as it has already become one of the leading causes of death in older people. I believe that the topic is of great importance for the whole world since the protection of the health of the population is a global task. This topic is crucial for me because I have elderly relatives at risk of this disease.
Concepts’ Relations
The leading cause of the obstructive pulmonary disease is related to smoking. In addition, the disease can occur due to air pollution in the area where the patient lives (Saladin, 2020). Often the effects of long-term smoking, such as daily coughing and shortness of breath, are symptoms of an insidiously progressive disease. Therefore, this chronic disease is associated with the concept of smoking cessation for the prevention of respiratory diseases.
Conclusion
Thus, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease poses a serious threat to public well-being. The population must be informed about the early symptoms of the disease and skillfully not ignore minor deteriorations in health. Combating the disease requires public awareness and action to reduce air pollution. The fight against smoking and protecting the environment from pollution should become the main concepts of prevention, along with increased awareness of the disease.
References
Riley, C. M., & Sciurba, F. C. (2019). Diagnosis and outpatient management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a review. Jama, 321(8), 786-797.
Saladin, K. S. (2020). ISE Anatomy & Physiology: The unity of form and function (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
World Health Organization. (2020). The top 10 causes of death.