A Winter Treasure Trove for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease characterized by airflow limitation. Early symptoms are often ignored, and in the middle stage patients develop shortness of breath after activity; in the late stage patients suffer from emphysema, pulmonary heart disease, and respiratory failure, which seriously affects the patients’ quality of life. According to the World Health Organization WHO data, by 2020 COPD will be ranked the world’s economic burden of disease in the 5th place. In China, the prevalence of COPD accounts for 8.2% of the population over 40 years old, and its prevalence is very alarming. The temperature difference in winter is large, when the cold air and cold wave comes, the human body’s bioactive substances D catecholamines increased secretion, the cilia on the surface of the mucous membrane of the trachea activity is reduced, reducing the self-purification of the trachea and phlegm expulsion function, and make the tracheal mucous glands and the cupular cells function hyperactivity, which leads to all kinds of pathogenic bacteria multiply in the body of the infected organism.COPD patients, once infected, means that the acute aggravation of the occurrence of shortness of breath, coughing, Dyspnea aggravation, and even respiratory failure and cardiac insufficiency occur. Then, COPD patients to avoid acute exacerbation in winter, safe winter, need to follow the following points. 1, quit smoking, avoid toxic and harmful gas stimulation Smoking is the most important risk factor for COPD, 15%-20% of global smokers suffer from COPD, 24% in our country. 80% of the development of COPD is related to smoking. Long-term smokers tend to have chronic cough, sputum and dyspnea during activities. Pulmonary function tests show airway obstruction, decreased lung compliance, ventilation and diffusion, and decreased arterial oxygen partial pressure, which is the main basis for clinical diagnosis of COPD. Even young asymptomatic smokers have mild pulmonary hypoplasia. For smokers, especially those with COPD, quitting smoking is a priority. Smoking cessation can slow down the development of COPD, reduce the number of COPD acute attacks, is one of the most important measures to prevent COPD acute attacks. 2, warmth and cold, open windows and ventilation, to prevent respiratory infections COPD patients in winter and early spring to pay special attention to prevent cold, cold weather is more important to prevent cold and warmth, timely addition of clothing, to prevent cold. Frequently open the window to change the air, indoor temperature and humidity should be maintained, which is conducive to maintaining a smooth respiratory tract. COPD patients are susceptible people, you can carry out influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine vaccination and regular oral immunity enhancers, etc., to prevent recurrent respiratory infections caused by the acute exacerbation of COPD has a certain degree of help. 3, balanced diet, improve nutritional status Most patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease suffer from malnutrition, wasting, hypoalbuminemia, resulting in low immunity, easy to infection, causing recurrence.COPD patients should be given a high protein and high vitamin diet. It is advisable to drink boiled water and vegetable soup, eat more raw pears, grapes, bananas, silver fungus, green vegetables and other nourishing yin and moisturizing lung food, eat less chili peppers, green onions, ginger, garlic and other spicy and dry things. Nutritional ratio of intake, carbohydrate 50%, 35% fat, protein 15%. 4, the combination of static and dynamic, labor and ease degrees COPD patients need to pay attention to the cold and warmth, but can not always shrink in the house “cat winter”, do not dare to go out activities. First of all, we must develop good living habits, living and living with discipline, go to bed early and get up early, combine work and rest to ensure sleep. When the weather is fine, moderate outdoor exercise is beneficial. Upper and lower extremity exercise can improve COPD patients’ exercise tolerance, perception of dyspnea and quality of life. Patients can choose suitable exercise programs according to their physical condition, such as walking, jogging, playing tai chi, doing middle-aged and elderly fitness exercises. Avoid labor that is beyond your strength to reduce the burden on the heart. 5.Long-term home oxygen therapy and non-invasive ventilation to reduce the occurrence of exacerbation COPD patients usually have hypoxemia or respiratory failure, the partial pressure of blood oxygen is lower than normal, and prolonged hypoxia will lead to insufficient supply of oxygen to the vital organs and damage to organ function, which requires oxygen intake to correct the hypoxia. Long-term home oxygen therapy (LTOT) can continuously correct hypoxemia and slow down the deterioration of lung function, prolonging the survival of patients with COPD and reducing the morbidity and mortality rate. In conclusion, winter weather is cold and dry, in addition to the need to pay attention to the above points, COPD patients should be followed up regularly in outpatient clinics. For patients suspected of having COPD, if they have frequent cough and sputum, they should go to the respiratory department of the hospital to confirm whether they have COPD or not. if COPD patients have obvious cough, sputum aggravation, sputum increase, shortness of breath, fever or yellow pus sputum, lower limb edema, or can’t lie down at night, etc., they should consult the doctor in a timely manner, so as to avoid delaying the time of treatment.