St. Agnes Surgery

  • Home
    • General Information
    • Meet the Team
    • Our Story
    • ______________________________
    • Accreditation
    • Child Safe Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Fees
    • Privacy Policy
    • New Patients and Workcover Patients
    • Acknowledgement of Country
  • News
    • Career Opportunities
    • Latest News
    • "Your Doctor"
    • Coronavirus
  • Services
    • Duty Doctor
    • GP Roster
    • General Practice
    • Covid 19 Booking Information
    • Ear Microsuction
    • Mental Health
    • Men's Health >
      • Prostate Health
    • Women's Health >
      • Breast Health
      • Menopause & HRT
      • Contraception - Implanted Contraception
      • Cervical Screening
      • Planning for Pregnancy
    • Preventative Care
    • Programs & Clinics >
      • Asthma Program
      • CardioVascular Program
      • "Closing The Gap"
      • Coordinated Veterans Care (CVC)
      • Diabetes Clinic
      • Duty Doctor
      • Iron Infusion
      • Immunisation
      • Molescan
      • Cervical Screening Clinic
      • Seniors Health Assess.
    • Screening Tests
    • Seniors Health
    • Specialist Centre
    • Useful Links
  • FAQ Sheets
    • Advanced Directives
    • Asthma
    • Atrial Fibrillation
    • BP Vertigo
    • Bowel Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • CVD
    • Cholesterol
    • Chronic Heart Failure
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • COPD
    • Diabetes
    • Depression
    • Ecomony Class Syndrome
    • Gout
    • Haemochromatosis
    • IBS
    • Meningococcal
    • Osteoperosis
    • P. Rheumatica & T. Arteritis
    • Sleep Apnoea
    • Warfarin
    • Weight & Health
  • Vaccinations
    • Australian Immunisation Schedule
    • Chickenpox
    • Gardasil - HPV
    • Covid 19
    • Hepatitis A
    • Hepatitis B
    • Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
    • Hib
    • Influenza
    • Measles
    • MMR
    • Mumps
    • Meningococcal
    • Pneumococcal
    • Polio
    • Rotavirus
    • Rubella
    • Triple Antigen IPV
  • Contact
    • St. Agnes Surgery
    • Tea Tree Medical Centre
  • Search
  • Home
    • General Information
    • Meet the Team
    • Our Story
    • ______________________________
    • Accreditation
    • Child Safe Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Fees
    • Privacy Policy
    • New Patients and Workcover Patients
    • Acknowledgement of Country
  • News
    • Career Opportunities
    • Latest News
    • "Your Doctor"
    • Coronavirus
  • Services
    • Duty Doctor
    • GP Roster
    • General Practice
    • Covid 19 Booking Information
    • Ear Microsuction
    • Mental Health
    • Men's Health >
      • Prostate Health
    • Women's Health >
      • Breast Health
      • Menopause & HRT
      • Contraception - Implanted Contraception
      • Cervical Screening
      • Planning for Pregnancy
    • Preventative Care
    • Programs & Clinics >
      • Asthma Program
      • CardioVascular Program
      • "Closing The Gap"
      • Coordinated Veterans Care (CVC)
      • Diabetes Clinic
      • Duty Doctor
      • Iron Infusion
      • Immunisation
      • Molescan
      • Cervical Screening Clinic
      • Seniors Health Assess.
    • Screening Tests
    • Seniors Health
    • Specialist Centre
    • Useful Links
  • FAQ Sheets
    • Advanced Directives
    • Asthma
    • Atrial Fibrillation
    • BP Vertigo
    • Bowel Cancer
    • Breast Cancer
    • CVD
    • Cholesterol
    • Chronic Heart Failure
    • Chronic Kidney Disease
    • COPD
    • Diabetes
    • Depression
    • Ecomony Class Syndrome
    • Gout
    • Haemochromatosis
    • IBS
    • Meningococcal
    • Osteoperosis
    • P. Rheumatica & T. Arteritis
    • Sleep Apnoea
    • Warfarin
    • Weight & Health
  • Vaccinations
    • Australian Immunisation Schedule
    • Chickenpox
    • Gardasil - HPV
    • Covid 19
    • Hepatitis A
    • Hepatitis B
    • Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
    • Hib
    • Influenza
    • Measles
    • MMR
    • Mumps
    • Meningococcal
    • Pneumococcal
    • Polio
    • Rotavirus
    • Rubella
    • Triple Antigen IPV
  • Contact
    • St. Agnes Surgery
    • Tea Tree Medical Centre
  • Search

COPD - CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

COPD (‘chronic bronchitis’, emphysema) is a common lung disease in which there is irreversible airway obstruction and excess sputum production. Some symptoms are similar to asthma, but the obstruction in asthma is reversible.

COPD is usually progressive – there may be few symptoms in the ‘mild’ stage (shortness of breath on exercise, recurrent chest infections) but as the disease progresses to ‘moderate’ severity (increasing shortness of breath with only moderate exercise, chronic cough and sputum, more severe lung infections) and ‘severe’ COPD ( shortness of breath on minimal exertion, severe restriction of daily activities, chronic cough and sputum production) it becomes very debilitating.

Smoking is the predominant cause of COPD in our society – other medical problems which may also lead to COPD include chronic asthma, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis. Environmental exposure to noxious agents can also lead to COPD – historically an almost inevitable occupational hazard for coal miners.

DIAGNOSIS is usually based on a history of smoking or exposure to noxious agents and abnormal lung function testing – FEV1/FVC less than 70% after bronchodilator. Chest xray or CT scan is often performed as well.

The severity of COPD is based on lung function testing :
MILD                FEV1    60-80 % of predicted
MODERATE       FEV1    40-60 % of predicted
SEVERE            FEV1    less than 40 % of predicted
(Comparing calculated ‘Lung Age’ with actual age may be a useful patient guide.)

MANAGEMENT of COPD should be based on:

1 Preventing Deterioration
  • the most important is to CEASE SMOKING. Stopping smoking, in even quite advanced disease, slows the rate of deterioration.
  • annual influenza immunisation
  • pneumococcal pneumonia immunisation
  • use of long term mucolytic medication can reduce flare-ups
  • patients with severe disease and low oxygen levels benefit from long term oxygen therapy
  • check for sleep apnoea
2 Optimise Function
  • active and aggressive treatment of acute flare-ups is important, even in the early stages of the disease
  • in Mild COPD inhaled steroids, bronchodilators and antibiotics are useful in flare-ups
  • those with Moderate COPD usually require oral steroids for exacerbations
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs have been shown to benefit those with moderate or severe disease
  • ensuring correct use of inhaler devices is important for maximum benefit
  • in general, amoxycillin or doxycycline are preferred antibiotics to macrolides (e.g. roxithromycin erythromycin) because of the bacteria involved in lung infection.
  • when oral steroids are required, the usual dose is 30-50mg of prednisolone for 7 to 14 days and then cease
  • assessment by a respiratory physician is likely to be of benefit in moderate and severe cases.
  • maintaining a healthy weight will improve mobility
  • excess alcohol use in those with more severe disease is detrimental
  • monitoring and treating osteoporosis – the risk of which is increased by reduced activity and steroid treatment – is important
Regular lung function testing is a useful monitor of disease progression.
*All current or ex-smokers over 35 years of age would benefit from lung function testing to identify those with early COPD.
St. Agnes Surgery
1251 North East Road, Ridgehaven, SA  5097
P: 08 8264 3333   F: 08 8263 8590
E: mail@stagnessurgery.com.au
Tea Tree Medical Centre
975 North East Road, Modbury, SA  5092
P: 08 8264 4555   F: 08 8263 9062    
E: 
mail@stagnessurgery.com.au
Picture

​This website contains medical information that is of a general nature only and is intended for education and information. It is not intended as personal advice.
Although every effort is made to keep this website up to date, information is subject to change and as such, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed at all times.  
The contents of this website are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior permission & acknowledgement of St Agnes Surgery.  © 2016 St. Agnes Surgery.
The Practice would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Milton Hart for the majority of the content and Katrina Nichols of Kauri Computing for publishing our website.