Monday, August 17, 2009

COPD (signs & symptoms)

Do you have COPD?

Symptoms of COPD

- symptom is the change in the body's structure, function, or sensation, experienced by the patient & indicative of disease.

  1. cough with phlegm
  2. breathlessness on mid exertion
  3. wheeze (breathing with difficulty & noisily)

Signs of COPD

- sign is an objective indication of disease, discoverable on examination of the patient (usually) by a physician.

- early signs
  1. wheezing upon exhalation

- late signs
  1. tachypnoea (rapid breathing-the definition varies with the age of the patient)
  2. hyperinflated chest (over expansion / distension of chest)
  3. marked widespread wheeze
  4. 'Pink puffers' or 'blue bloaters'

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