WEBVTT

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COPD stands for

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chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
involves permanent

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progressive damage to the lung.

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Typical symptoms include:

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• shortage of breath (dyspnea)
during physical exercise.

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Depending on the stage of the disease,
people with COPD

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get out of breath
during the simplest of everyday activities

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such as climbing the stairs,
carrying shopping bags

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or just going for a walk.

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People with advanced COPD

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also have respiratory problems
when they are at rest.

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Other symptoms are:

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• daily, persistent productive cough,

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• noisy breathing
such as wheezing and rattling

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• and more severe symptoms during colds
or bouts of flu.

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COPD is caused by long-term exposure

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of the lungs to pollutants,

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particularly tobacco smoke.

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Dust or toxic gases
are also a risk for miners

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or residents of areas
with high smog levels, for example.

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In rare cases
there may also be an inherited risk.

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COPD does not occur suddenly
but develops slowly

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over several years
of exposure to pollution.

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The pollutants

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cause lasting irritation of the airways.

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The bronchial tubes narrow

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and become clogged with mucus

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as it becomes harder to cough up phlegm.

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Damage also occurs to the walls
of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lung

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where gas exchange takes place.

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This means
the surface area of the lung is reduced

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so less oxygen enters the blood.

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This is referred to as pulmonary emphysema.

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Treatment cannot entirely halt
progression of the disease.

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The therapeutic goal is therefore
to improve quality of life

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and alleviate acute symptoms.

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Treatment thus consists of bronchodilators

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and anti-inflammatory drugs.

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• physical activity,

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• breathing exercises,

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• inhalation

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• or changes to diet

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can also improve the situation.

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Disease Management Programs

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provided by health insurance providers

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can help patients
to mitigate the progression of the disease.

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In short:

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In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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the airways are narrowed
and clogged with mucus

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and the air sacs (alveoli) in the lung
are damaged.

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This means that people

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with advanced COPD
find it very difficult to breathe

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and get out of breath
during the simplest of everyday activities.

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A persistent, productive cough

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is also one of the typical signs of COPD.

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The disease takes years to develop

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with smoking as the commonest cause.

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The progression of the disease
cannot be halted

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but only alleviated.