Word parts
What it means
A group of lung diseases, mainly emphysemaem-fuh-SEE-muhA long-term lung disease in which the walls of the tiny air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch.Full entry and chronic bronchitis, in which the airways are narrowed or the air sacs are damaged, so air is trapped in the lungs. It develops slowly, most often after years of smoking, and does not go away. Clients have a long-lasting cough, sputum, wheezingWEEZ-ingA high-pitched, whistling sound made as air moves through narrowed airways.Full entry and shortness of breathSHORT-nis uv BRETHThe feeling of not getting enough air or of having to work hard to breathe.Full entry that is worse with activity, and they can have flare-ups (exacerbationig-zas-er-BAY-shunA time when a long-term disease suddenly gets worse, or its symptoms flare up.Full entry ).
For the nurse
Give oxygenOK-sih-jenA gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.Full entry to the target saturation the provider orders, often 88–92% for clients with COPD. Teach pursed-lip breathing, sitting upright or leaning forward, stopping smoking, inhaler use and vaccines. Report a change in sputum color or amount, more breathlessness than usual, or new confusion or sleepiness.
In a chart
"History of COPD, on 2 L/min oxygen at home; target SpO2 88–92%."
At a glance
| Spanish | EPOC (enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica) |
|---|---|
| Also written | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
Related terms
pulse oximetry
A painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.
oxygen
A gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.
emphysema
A long-term lung disease in which the walls of the tiny air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch.
wheezing
A high-pitched, whistling sound made as air moves through narrowed airways.
pulmonary function tests
Breathing tests that measure how much air the lungs hold and how fast air moves in and out.