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Running Head: TREATMENT PROTOCOLS 1

TREATMENT PROTOCOLS 7

Treatment Protocols: COPD

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Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is general words that define lung diseases. Among them are chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. More than 30 million citizens in the USA have been diagnosed with COPD. However, half of them have the COPD symptoms but unfortunately, they do not know. With the help of two scholarly articles, this paper seeks to review some of the treatment protocols for COPD. Treatment of COPD aims at controlling the symptoms and not in curing the disease. Also, symptoms and causes of the disease will be explored (Currie, 2012)

Some vital signs of COPD include frequent coughing that may contain sputum, breathlessness, tightness in the chest and wheezing. Most COPD cases are associated with inhaling pollutants, for example, smoking cigarettes and pipes and also second-hand smoking. Also, dust, fumes, and chemicals in work environments contribute to the high cases of COPD. Genetics can also take part in developing COPD even if one has never smoked (Currie, 2012)

Thesis Statement

People should be educated on the symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease so that they can know when they or their acquaintances have it. They must also know the causes of the disease, the treatment and the aims of the treatment so that they can manage the disease if they realize they are having it.

Treatment Protocol

Treatment of COPD seeks to accomplish the following goals;

· Limit the symptoms which may include shortness of breath through the use of medicines.

· Slowing down the spread of the ailment by giving up smoking and shunning other causes like air pollution.

· Avoid and prevent flare-ups (exacerbations) using medications and other treatments.

· Increase general health through consistent activity.

Though the treatment of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease aims at reducing the effect of the disease to the patient, I think over the time the treatment should be aimed at making sure that the disease is cured but not reducing its effect. The medics and research teams should be working on how they can be able to get a treatment for this disease once and for all to safe patients. Some of the treatment that can be offered includes;

Stopping Smoking

As mentioned in the causes of COPD disease, smoking contributes most to this disease. For individuals with COPD and might be smoking, quitting would be the best treatment. However, the damage already caused to the lungs cannot be reversed but quitting smoking helps to avert additional harm to the lungs. This treatment is mostly effective in the early stages of COPD, but even those with progressive stages of COPD may benefit from giving up smoking (Currie, 2012)

Inhalers and Medications

An inhaler is a device that aids in breathing for patients experiencing breathing difficulties. An inhaler delivers medication directly into the lungs as the individual breathes in. There are several types of inhalers depending on the stage of COPD. They have been very crucial in assisting the patients but I think they should be an improvement in maybe coming up with a more elaborate treatment were the patients for instance take once a day and it able to prevent any breathing difficulties for the rest of the day. (Australian Lung Foundation, 2014)

Medication can also be offered in cases where the inhalers have failed to control the symptoms. The medication is informed of capsules or tablets. Examples of these tablets are theophylline tablets which ease and open up the airpaths and are taken twice in a day. Mucolytic tablets help to make the phlegm in the inner throat easier and thinner to cough out. Mucolytic tables are taken by patients with persistent chest cough that have thick mucus, usually three times in a day. Antibiotics may also be administered where the patient has signs of a chest infection (Currie, 2012)

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary Rehabilitition is a unique program of exercise and education which helps people with lung diseases like COPD. This program aims at improving the patients’ self-confidence, emotional welfare and also improves the amount of exercise one can do before running out of breath. The program involves physical exercise training such as strength exercises, walking and cycling, advice on diet, emotional and psychological support and provision of education of COPD for the patients and their families. The program is offered by healthcare professionals such as dietitians and physiotherapists. (Anzueto, 2012)

Surgery

This type of treatment is suitable for individuals with extreme COPD and where medication has failed to control the symptoms. The process aims at removing the part of the lungs which have been affected by the disease and stop further spread. To the worse conditions the treatment should be aim at transplanting the lugs. Other than surgery there should be drugs which may help in killing the parts of the lug affected by the disease without carrying out the surgery. This will be less costly to the patients and maybe less life threatening. (Anzueto, 2012)

Supplemental Oxygen

Oxygen can be provided through a mask or nasal tubes at homes. These are for patients with low levels of oxygen in their blood. However, it is not a treatment for symptoms like breathlessness but only helps to stop oxygen levels in blood from becoming very low. The should be some medicines which maybe helps the blood cell improve on the uptake of oxygen in the lungs to safe the patients the cost of moving around with oxygen masks. I think this will be more reliable and convenient to the patients and thus improving their condition while reducing the stigma of moving around with masks. (Anzueto, 2012)

Conclusion

Treatment of COPD aims at controlling the symptoms and not in curing the disease. It should be noted that as most of COPD diseases results from smoking, victims of the diseases should have the urge to quit smoking rather than waiting on anyone to stop them. Exercises and education should be regular to assist victims in developing confidence and welfare to them. However, if these simple treatment protocols have failed, other treatment procedures can be offered as discussed above. More research should be carried out so that a permanent cure can be found for the COPD diseases rather than controlling the systems. This would be helpful to patients whose COPD levels is at the late stages.

References

Anzueto, A. (2012). Treatment of COPD exacerbations. London: Henry Stewart Talks

Australian Lung Foundation. (2014). COPD.

Currie, G. P. (2012). ABC of COPD. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, BMJ Books.