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Dry Cough, Wheezing. Has Dyspnea. Chest X-ray Show Hyper-inflated Lungs, Increased SOB. Meaning?
have dyspnea; chest x-ray show hyper-inflated lungs; increased SOB; can t lay on sides to sleep; sleeping on 2 pillows; chest feels full; some cough; rare-occasional wheezing; dry cough occas. no fever; but symptoms seem to be worsening weekly. PFT s show some airway trapping with an improvement of only 4% after Albuterol. Is this asthma? (non-smoker)
Mon, 8 Apr 2013
Anonymous's Response
Anonymous's
Response
Hello,
Thank you for posting your query and I hope this answers helps.
Your symptoms and Chest X Ray plus pulmonary function tests are suggestive of chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD), also called COLD (L for lung). As the name suggests, there is obstruction and trapping of air and show no improvement (i.e., reversibility of volumes) with albuterol.
This is the hallmark of COPD.
Although most commonly seen in smokers, this can happen in non-smokers and secondary causes need to be excluded.
COPD is a progressive disease, so do consult your Chest Physician for the correct investigations (if reqd.) and choice of inhalers.
Best Wishes.
Thank you for posting your query and I hope this answers helps.
Your symptoms and Chest X Ray plus pulmonary function tests are suggestive of chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD), also called COLD (L for lung). As the name suggests, there is obstruction and trapping of air and show no improvement (i.e., reversibility of volumes) with albuterol.
This is the hallmark of COPD.
Although most commonly seen in smokers, this can happen in non-smokers and secondary causes need to be excluded.
COPD is a progressive disease, so do consult your Chest Physician for the correct investigations (if reqd.) and choice of inhalers.
Best Wishes.
Hi toddjackson4
Thanks for coming ti HCM
I think you have got COPD i.e chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. THE disease has got the pathology of airflow limitation especially during breathing out due to collapse of smaller airways as a resulte full emptying of lung can't happen resulting in hyperinflation...
the disease usually is seen in smokers i.e almost 80% of the COPD are smokers...
Spirometry or PFT is used to make a diagnosis where Fev1/FVC is < 0.7, and is then graded by Fev1 i.e if >80% predicted is grade1, 80-50 is grade2, 50-30 is grade3 and
treatment depends on the grade... common one is smoking cessation because it lead to little bit improvement at any grade....annual influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine if above 65 yrs of age or if ev1
grade 2 treatment is LABA like salmeterol or formoterol and LAMA like tiotropium...
grade 3 is to add inhaled corticosteroid like budesonide or fluticasone....
grade 4 is to go for surgical treatment like lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery
meet your doctor...
best wishes
Thanks for coming ti HCM
I think you have got COPD i.e chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. THE disease has got the pathology of airflow limitation especially during breathing out due to collapse of smaller airways as a resulte full emptying of lung can't happen resulting in hyperinflation...
the disease usually is seen in smokers i.e almost 80% of the COPD are smokers...
Spirometry or PFT is used to make a diagnosis where Fev1/FVC is < 0.7, and is then graded by Fev1 i.e if >80% predicted is grade1, 80-50 is grade2, 50-30 is grade3 and
treatment depends on the grade... common one is smoking cessation because it lead to little bit improvement at any grade....annual influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine if above 65 yrs of age or if ev1
grade 2 treatment is LABA like salmeterol or formoterol and LAMA like tiotropium...
grade 3 is to add inhaled corticosteroid like budesonide or fluticasone....
grade 4 is to go for surgical treatment like lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery
meet your doctor...
best wishes
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