Case Study Analysis: Copd

Case Study Analysis: COPD
SOC 313
5/27/2013
Case Study Analysis: COPD
I chose case study 1. I can relate to this case study about Mr. L. My grandfather had emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). My grandfather was the best and seeing him sick and hooked to an oxygen tank 24/7 wasn’t nice. He too like Mr. L smoked for over 40 years, but by the time he quit it was to late. My grandfather didn’t have any signs or symptoms till years later. Even though he quit over 30 years ago the symptoms didn’t show till he was in his late seventies early eighties.
Our lungs are designed to do multiple functions. The most essential function our lungs do is to help us breathe. Our lungs inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Smoking can cause a lot of damage to our lungs, also can cause long term health problems such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis which make up Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease also known as COPD (NIH, 2012). There isn’t a cure for COPD, but there are a few things one can do to live out the rest of their life under the circumstances.
A few signs and symptom of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are shortness of breath, especially walking or some type of physical activity, wheezing, tightness in your chest, excessive mucus in your lungs, a chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections, and a lack of energy. Mr. L will experience these symptoms and they will increase and get worst over time. Smoking can affect how well Mr. L’s lungs transfer oxygen to his bloodstream and to the rest of his body. Even though there isn’t a cure for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) there are a few things that Mr. L will need to do now that he has been diagnosed with the disease. First important thing Mr. L needs to do is quit smoking if he hasn’t already. Also he needs to speak to his physician about getting the flu vaccine yearly to help prevent him from getting the flu during flu season,…