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PULMONARY
DISEASE
A General Overview
ACADEMIC HALF DAY
DECEMBER 2, 2003
COPD
OUTLINE
• Facts
• Definition
• Pathophysiology
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
– Chronic disease
– Acute exacerbations
• Prevention
• Other issues
COPD
GENERAL FACTS
• Major cause of death and disability
• 4th leading cause of death in men
– 5544 deaths in 1999
• 5th leading cause of death in women
– 3974 deaths in 1999
• Mortality rates in women have increased by 53%
and are still rising
COPD
General Facts
• 7th most common cause of hospitalization in men ,
8th in women (2001/2002)
• Risk of rehospitalization is approx 40%
• Accounts for 14 MILLION physician visits/year
(US)
• Health cost $1.67 BILLION/year (CAN)
– Does not include physician costs or community based
programs
COPD FACTS
• 3.9% Canadians have COPD (466,812) ??
• UNDERESTIMATE
– Self reported
– Not diagnosed until late
– More than 50% Canadians who have COPD
remain undiagnosed
COPD
CTS Definition
• Respiratory disorder
• Caused mostly by smoking (90% cases)
• Characterized by:
– Progressive, partially reversible airway
obstruction
– Systemic manifestations
– Increasing severity of exacerbations
COPD – Pathophysiology
• Not completely understood
• Cigarette smoke main trigger
• Chronic inflammation of cells lining bronchial tree
• Leads to airway narrowing
– Edema
– Excess mucus production
– Decreased ciliary function
COPD Pathophysiology
• EXPIRATORY FLOW LIMITATION
– Hallmark of COPD
• Compromises ability of pt to expel air
• Hyperinflation and air trapping occurs
• Rib cage reconfigures over time
• Ventilatory muscles adapt temporarily
COPD Pathophysiology
• V/Q mismatch develops
– Regional inequalities throughout the lungs
• O2 uptake and CO2 elimination impaired
• Vasoconstrictor effects of chronic hypoxia
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Right heart failure
COPD Diagnosis
• Early stages of COPD are silent – therefore
patients do not often present
• Patients often present when SOB starts to affect
their QOL or more commonly during and acute
exacerbation
• Dyspnea on mild exertion = 50% loss of lung
capacity
• Family doctors usually experience patients early in
the course of the disease
• We have the opportunity to make the most impact
COPD – Diagnosis
HISTORY
• Common presentation is DYSPNEA
– Patients often attribute to “getting older”
• Wheezy
• Chest tightness/pain
• Cough/Sputum production
• Baseline functional ability
HISTORY (continued)
• ROS:
• fatigue, depression, insomnia, confusion
• Cardiac risks
• PMH: frequency and severity of exacerbations,
past treatments, other lung diseases
• Med history and compliance/proper technique
• SMOKING – pack years, # of quitting attempts
HISTORY (continued)
• Occupational exposure
• Allergies
• FHx :
– Alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency
– Chronic lung disease
• SHx: Social supports, impact on QOL
MRC Dyspnea Scale
• Grade 1 – breathlessness with strenuous exercise
• Grade 2 – SOB when hurrying on the level or
walking up a slight hill
• Grade 3 – walks slower than people of the same
age on the level OR stops for breath when walking
at own pace on the level
• Grade 4 – stops for breath after walking 100 yards
MRC Dyspnea Scale
• Grade 5 – too breathless to leave the house
when dressing
• Scale helps:
• To identify patients with poor QOL
• To provide prognostic information
• To stratify disease severity (with PFTs)
– See handout
COPD
Physical Exam
• Important, but not usually diagnostic
• Signs of airflow obstruction are usually not
present until SIGNIFICANT lung
impairment is present
• Advanced disease – signs of lung
hyperinflation, right heart failure, muscle
wasting, clubbing
COPD Investigations
• PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS
– The best objective measurement of pulmonary
impairment
– Necessary for establishing diagnosis
– Not good in the acute setting
– Very underutilized
– Sensitive to small changes in flow limitations
– Mass screening of smokers not recommended
SPIROMETRY
Who to screen?
• Smokers or exsmokers > 40 years of age
• Patients with persistent cough and sputum
production
• Patients with persistent respiratory
infections
• Patients with progressive activityrelated
SOB
Spirometry
Diagnostic Criteria
• Postbronchodilator forced expiratory
volume in 1 second (FEV1) of LESS than
80% of the predicted normal value
AND…
• Ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity
(FVC) of less than 0.70
COPD
Other Tests
• CXR – often required to R/O cormorbidities
• High resolution CT – not routine
• Arterial Blood Gas
– FEV1<40% predicted
– often useful in acute setting
• Alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency screening
– COPD in patient <45 years of age
– strong Family History
MANAGEMENT
COPD
• Management:
1) Smoking cessation
2) Chronic stable patients
3) Acute exacerbations
• EVEN IN SEVERE CASES OF COPD THERAPY
IS POSSIBLE AND CAN IMPROVE QOL
SMOKING CESSATION
• The only intervention shown to slow the
progression of COPD
• Small improvements in FEV1
• Eventually the rate of decline in lung
function returns to the same level of a non
smoker
• Brief interventions are effective
Chronic Stable COPD
Treatment
• Patient & Family education
• Pharmacotherapy
– Bronchodilators
– Steroids
• inhaled
• oral
• Oxygen
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Surgery
Pharmacotherapy
• BRONCHODILATORS
• The mainstay of drug therapy for COPD
• Decrease airway muscle tone
• Three types (short & long acting):
– Anticholinergics (inhaled)
– Beta2 agonists (inhaled)
– Methylxanthines (po)
Bronchodilators
Short Acting (SABD)
• Improve pulmonary function/SOB/exercise
performance
• Do not affect QOL
• Combination SABD’s (Betaagonists and anti
cholinergics) produce better bronchodilation
• For patients with MILD symptoms
– SOB on exertion
Bronchodialtors
Long Acting (LABD)
• For patients who still have symptoms on SABD’s
(MODERATE disease)
• More sustained effect on PFT’s, chronic SOB and
QOL
• Anticholinergic – Tiotropium (OD)
• Beta2 agonists – Fomoterol, Salmeterol
• Early evidence these may prolong time between
exacerbations
Bronchodilators
• Moderate – severe COPD
– Tiotropium (longacting anticholinergic)
– LABD
– SABD prn
– If still severe – may benefit from theophylline
• Weak bronchodialtor
• Monitor levels
• Interactions
• Side effects
Steroids
• Inhaled and oral
• Not recommended as first line therapy
• No consistent effect on decreasing inflammation
• Consider inhaled form in those with modsevere
disease
• Consider in those who have maximal
bronchodilator therapy
ORAL STEROIDS
• Long term oral steroids not recommended
• High risk for
– Cataracts
– Muscle weakness
– Hypertension
– Osteoporosis
– Diabetes
OXYGEN
• Definite survival benefit in severe COPD
• Should be considered for patients with:
1. Severe hypoxemia (PaO2 < 55mmHg)
2. PaO2 <60 mmHg + bilateral ankle edema,
cor pulmonale or Hct >50%
Don’t smoke with your oxygen on!!!
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Pts with COPD are often deconditioned
• Leads to muscle wasting – contributes to
dyspnea
• Should encourage all pts to remain active
• Formal rehab programs improve QOL and
dyspnea
SURGERY
• Volume reduction surgery
• Lung transplant
• Have been used for severe COPD
• No clear cut guidelines
Don’t forget
• Flu shot
• Pneumovax
• Vaccinations help prevent exacerbations!
Acute Exacerbations
COPD
• “Sustained worsening of dyspnea, cough or
sputum production leading to an increase in the
use of maintenance medications and/or
supplementation with additional medications”.
• Usually 23 per year – 50% not reported to
physicians
• Most common cause of admissions, ER visits and
death in COPDers.
Acute Exacerbations
COPD
• CXR – not necessary for diagnosis but may
be needed to R/O things that can cause AE
– CHF, pneumonia, pneumothorax
• Spirometry not useful in acute setting
• ABG – useful
• Fever uncommon
• Consider pneumonia if present
Acute Exacerbations
Management
• Oxygen
• Bronchodilators
• Steroids
• Antibiotics
• Noninvasive PPV
OXYGEN
Acute Exacerbations
• Excess O2 should be avoided
• However should not be withheld for fear of
hypercapnea
• O2 to maintain PaO2 at approx 60 mmHg
• Difficult to make decisions regarding long
term O2 during AE – 50% will no longer
meet criteria for home O2 in 1 month
Bronchodilators
Acute Exacerbations
• No difference in efficacy between Beta2
agonists and anticholinergics
• Some benefit from combination
• MDI’s vs nebulizers:
– No difference in pulmonary function outcome
• Don’t:
– Start theophylline
– Use longacting agents
Steroids
Acute Exacerbations
• Oral definitely has a role
• Faster recovery / shorter hospitalizations
• May prolong time to next relapse
• Exact dose?
• 514 days recommended
• Question of whether pts with mild disease benefit
• ?health consequences of frequent short courses
• Role of inhaled steroids in acute disease not well
defined
ANTIBIOTICS
COPD
• Approx 50% exacerbations due to
infectious etiology
• Mostly bacterial
• Especially helpful in severe exacerbations
• Purulent sputum more likely to benefit
• Antibiotic resistance an issue
Common Bugs
• Mildmoderate exacerbations:
• Streptococcus pneumonia
• Haemophilus influenzae
• Moraxella catarrhalis
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Viruses
• Severe exacerbations:
• Pseudomonas sp.
• Gm –ve enteric bacilli
Non Invasive Positive Pressure
Ventilation
• For persistent acidosis despite adequate
bronchodilators (ph<7.3)
• Decrease morbidity/mortality
• Decreases the need for intubation/ventilation
• Decreases length of ICU stay
• Requires awake/alert/cooperative/hemo stable pt
• If no improvement in 4 hours unlikely to benefit
Other Issues
• WHEN TO REFER TO SPECIALIST:
• Diagnosis uncertain
• Symptoms are severe
• Symptoms do not correlate with PFT’s
• Early onset
• Accelerated loss of function (FEV1 decline
>80ml/year over 2year period)
• Consideration for surgery
End of life issues
• QOL of patients with COPD is often poor
(especially end stage disease)
• Mortality during acute exacerbations 10
20%
• Discussions of endoflife issues often
occur late (and in the ICU)
• Recommend targeting patients with
advanced disease & have survived ICU
COPD
SUMMARY
• COPD is preventable and treatable
• Most not diagnosed until late – prevention
is paramount
• Spirometry is indicated for target groups
• Smoking cessation is the only intervention
shown to slow disease progression