Observing the World COPD Day, Dr Lokendra Dave, Prof and HOD, Dept of respiratory medicine, Gandhi medical college shares his concerns and therapy to manage Respiratory Disorders.
While addressing a seminar he said that air pollution is suddenly in the news, after consistent reports from Delhi-NCR, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) has gone far beyond acceptable limits. Hence people in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and the rest of north India have begun suffering from chest congestion, cough, shortness of breath, and other problems.
When we breathe polluted air, microscopic particles of dust settle down in the breathing passages and inside the lungs, and cause the air passages to become narrower than normal.
Addressing further said, “The group of illnesses is known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).The Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) set up in 1997 has classified COPD into four stages, depending on the severity of symptoms. In the first and second stages, the symptoms of cough, expulsion of sputum, etc would be mild to moderate. Among other things, sleep quality is poor in COPD patients, because the level of oxygen in their blood constantly remains low. Hence, they are forced to breathe rapidly.”
He also informed that all the harmful effects of sleeping poorly then begin to show up in these patients.
Talking about the treatment, he said, “The main treatment for COPD is bronchodilator inhalers along with smoking cessation, home oxygen in selected cases, nutritional support and physiotherapy In addition, mass awareness and education programmes are required with a suitable initiative from the government health departments.”
