| What Is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | | | | air sacs in the lungs, so they're not able to transfer |
| (COPD)? | | | | oxygen into the bloodstream to nourish the body as |
| There are three kinds of chronic lung disease: chronic | | | | well as the healthy sacs can. The lungs lose their |
| obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, | | | | ability to stretch, producing shortness of breath |
| and non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease (NTM). | | | | during activity. You can also think of the air sacs like |
| As a caregiver of a person with COPD, you need to | | | | balloons that have been inflated and deflated many |
| understand the changes that take place, not only in | | | | times, causing them to lose their elasticity, which |
| the lungs but the rest of the body. You want the | | | | results in stale air being trapped in the lungs. Over |
| person to maintain her independence but at the same | | | | time, the lungs become larger, which decreases their |
| time make sure she is taking care of herself, using | | | | function. |
| medications appropriately, and using oxygen as the | | | | About one in 50 cases of emphysema is inherited. |
| doctor prescribed. She also needs to know when to | | | | This inherited cause of COPD is called Alpha-1 (Alpha1 |
| call the doctor. | | | | antitrypsin deficiency). People with Alpha-1 don't have |
| Think of the lungs like an upside-down tree, with the | | | | enough of a major protein in their blood, which can |
| windpipe (trachea) being the trunk, the bronchial | | | | lead to lung problems. |
| tubes the branches, and the air sacs as the leaves. | | | | What is non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease |
| We have millions of these tiny air sacs, and this is the | | | | (NTM)? |
| reason a lot of damage can be done before a person | | | | Mycobacteria are a group of germs that can cause |
| notices problems with her breathing. | | | | disease. Tuberculosis is caused by one type of |
| What is bronchitis? | | | | mycobacteria, and it is highly contagious. NTM is |
| A person with COPD may have either emphysema or | | | | similar to tuberculosis, but it cannot be passed from |
| bronchitis, but most have both. Some people with | | | | one person to another. |
| COPD may also have symptoms similar to asthma. In | | | | What Is interstitial lung disease (ILD)? |
| chronic bronchitis the damage is in the breathing | | | | ILD is actually a broad category of lung diseases that |
| tubes (bronchial tubes). They become inflamed and | | | | affect the tissue in the lungs around the air sacs and |
| swollen, and large amounts of mucus are produced, | | | | blood vessels. These parts of the lung become |
| making it difficult to get air in and out of the lungs. | | | | inflamed or scarred, which leads to problems with |
| What is emphysema? | | | | getting oxygen out of the air and into the |
| In emphysema there is damage to the walls of the | | | | bloodstream. |