Prevents chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• April 24, 2024

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD ), one of the Top 10 causes of death In the country, it can be prevented by a high percentage if risk factors such as smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke (passive smoking), coal, firewood or oil, and vapors of chemical substances are avoided, experts from the Mexican Institute of Social Security warned ( IMSS).

Said condition is increases in cold season , since it is characterized by chronic obstruction that complicates the entry of air into the lungs. In its evolution (due to more frequent infections during autumn-winter), the patient may present respiratory distress, said the doctor María Dolores Ochoa Vázquez , attached to the Pneumology Service of the High Specialty Medical Unit (UMAE) General Hospital, National Medical Center (CMN) La Raza.

COPD affects approximately 7 to 9 million Mexicans over the age of 40, so Social Security provides specific pharmacological treatments for patients with mild or moderate symptoms of the disease. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ; for example, inhalers that serve to dilate the bronchi, stop the inflammatory process and allow a better expectoration.

For those who have the advanced condition (with respiratory failure), explained the pulmonologist Ochoa Vázquez, in addition to prescribing medications, the use of oxygen , which improves the quality of life of people.

He added that those who are at a very advanced stage of COPD, can get to use, in addition to treatment with inhalers and oxygen, a device to ventilate the patient so you can use it at home.

The increase in the prevalence of the disease is due to smoking, which favors the advancement of the disease, since the components of the Cigarette damage the mucosa of the bronchi. On the other hand, critical infections of the upper airways, such as the rhinosinusitis type, provoke persistent inflammation when they are not attended to in a timely manner, so that in the long run they become chronic bronchial symptoms.

The Social Security pulmonologist reported that the disease manifests with cough, expectoration most of the days of the month, and may be part of the clinical picture of chronic bronchitis ; or, it can only be presented as a limitation due to lack of air (dyspnea) to physical activities.

Dr. Ochoa Vázquez said that in the face of winter, COPD is out of control and the symptoms worsen (increased production of phlegm , cough or expectoration and shortness of breath ), since people in general are more exposed to catarrh due to viruses or bacteria, being more frequent in this group of patients.

He added that people with a diagnosis of COPD can manifest severe infectious conditions such as pneumonias , accompanied by respiratory failure, putting at risk the lives of people.

For this reason, the IMSS specialist exhorted to raise awareness that tobacco smoke generates direct illness on the lung and indirect on the organism; recommended take care of any cold or cough that lasts more than 10 days, avoid self-medication and go to the family doctor.

Video Medicine: Management and Treatment of COPD (April 2024).