COPD worksheet
Great Resource to describe medication
TABLE 24-2 Aerosol Delivery Devices
TABLE 24-3 Common Types of Bronchodilator Medications for Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease
What is COPD?
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a preventable and treatable slowly progressive
disease of airflow obstruction involving the airways, pulmonary parenchyma, or both.
- Airflow limitation is not fully reversible
What two diseases does it cover?
Emphysema
- Impaired oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange results from destruction of the walls of
over distended alveoli.
- Walls of alveoli are destroyed slowly for many years, surface area in direct contact with
pulmonary capillaries continually decrease. This leads to increased dead space where
no gas exchange occurs, impaired oxygen diffusion, and hypoxemia.
- Higher resistance to pulmonary blood flow = RV higher blood pressure
- Cor pulmonale is one of the complications of emphysema = right sided heart failure
brought by long term high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.
Chronic Bronchitis
- Presence of cough and sputum production for at least 3 months of each of 2 consecutive
years.
- Smoke or environmental pollutants irritate the airways, resulting in inflammation and
hypersecretion of mucus -> more goblet cells -> more mucus -> clogging of airways.
- Occurs most often during winter when infections are more prevalent.
, Risk Factors: Chart 24-1 Risk Factors
- SMOKING
- Secondhand smoke
- Occupational exposure + pollution
- Deficiency of alpha1-antitrypsin
o Enzyme inhibitor that prevents lung
parenchyma as a result of injury
- Age
- Socioeconomic status
Clinical Manifestations: what does the patient look
like?
- Barrel chest
How does the nurse assess the patient?
Chart 24-2 Assessment – great resource breaks down what to look for and what to ask.
Assessing Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Health History
Has the patient been exposed to risk factors (types, intensity, duration)?
Does the patient have a past medical history of respiratory diseases/problems, including
asthma, allergy, sinusitis, nasal polyps, or respiratory infections?
Does the patient have a family history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other
chronic respiratory diseases?
How long has the patient had respiratory difficulty?
What is the pattern of symptom development?
Does exertion increase the dyspnea? What type of exertion?
What are the limits of the patient’s tolerance for exercise?
At what times during the day does the patient complain most of fatigue and shortness of
breath?
Does the patient describe any discomfort or pain in any part of the body? If so, where does it
occur, how intense is this pain, when does it occur, and does it interfere with activities of
daily living? Is there any intervention that helps to alleviate the pain or discomfort?
Which eating and sleeping habits have been affected?
What is the impact of respiratory disease on quality of life?
What does the patient know about the disease and their condition?
What is the patient’s smoking history (primary and secondary)?
Is there occupational exposure to smoke or other pollutants?
What are the triggering events (e.g., exertion, strong odors, dust, exposure to animals)?
Great Resource to describe medication
TABLE 24-2 Aerosol Delivery Devices
TABLE 24-3 Common Types of Bronchodilator Medications for Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease
What is COPD?
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a preventable and treatable slowly progressive
disease of airflow obstruction involving the airways, pulmonary parenchyma, or both.
- Airflow limitation is not fully reversible
What two diseases does it cover?
Emphysema
- Impaired oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange results from destruction of the walls of
over distended alveoli.
- Walls of alveoli are destroyed slowly for many years, surface area in direct contact with
pulmonary capillaries continually decrease. This leads to increased dead space where
no gas exchange occurs, impaired oxygen diffusion, and hypoxemia.
- Higher resistance to pulmonary blood flow = RV higher blood pressure
- Cor pulmonale is one of the complications of emphysema = right sided heart failure
brought by long term high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.
Chronic Bronchitis
- Presence of cough and sputum production for at least 3 months of each of 2 consecutive
years.
- Smoke or environmental pollutants irritate the airways, resulting in inflammation and
hypersecretion of mucus -> more goblet cells -> more mucus -> clogging of airways.
- Occurs most often during winter when infections are more prevalent.
, Risk Factors: Chart 24-1 Risk Factors
- SMOKING
- Secondhand smoke
- Occupational exposure + pollution
- Deficiency of alpha1-antitrypsin
o Enzyme inhibitor that prevents lung
parenchyma as a result of injury
- Age
- Socioeconomic status
Clinical Manifestations: what does the patient look
like?
- Barrel chest
How does the nurse assess the patient?
Chart 24-2 Assessment – great resource breaks down what to look for and what to ask.
Assessing Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Health History
Has the patient been exposed to risk factors (types, intensity, duration)?
Does the patient have a past medical history of respiratory diseases/problems, including
asthma, allergy, sinusitis, nasal polyps, or respiratory infections?
Does the patient have a family history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other
chronic respiratory diseases?
How long has the patient had respiratory difficulty?
What is the pattern of symptom development?
Does exertion increase the dyspnea? What type of exertion?
What are the limits of the patient’s tolerance for exercise?
At what times during the day does the patient complain most of fatigue and shortness of
breath?
Does the patient describe any discomfort or pain in any part of the body? If so, where does it
occur, how intense is this pain, when does it occur, and does it interfere with activities of
daily living? Is there any intervention that helps to alleviate the pain or discomfort?
Which eating and sleeping habits have been affected?
What is the impact of respiratory disease on quality of life?
What does the patient know about the disease and their condition?
What is the patient’s smoking history (primary and secondary)?
Is there occupational exposure to smoke or other pollutants?
What are the triggering events (e.g., exertion, strong odors, dust, exposure to animals)?
