Report Example on COPD: Impact on Lung Resistance & Compliance

Introduction

Emphysema refers to continuing lung disease, which is caused by air sacs over-inflation. COPD refers to a general term that is used to outline lung group conditions of which emphysema is among them (Pauwels & Rabe, 2004).

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Lung Resistance

Lung resistance refers to the variation in pressure over the flow, whereas lung compliance refers to volume over the pressure change. In COPD, compliance increases, and recoil elasticity decreases like in the case of pulmonary emphysema. COPD makes the air sacs lose elasticity; thus, they over-expand (Pauwels & Rabe, 2004). It is acceptable for the ETT placement at 5± 2 cm over the carina, but from the lip, males’ ETT should be placed at 23 cm to the carina (Varshney et al., 2011).

The initial ABGs result of the patient indicates high acidity levels of his blood. It is so since his PH levels are lower than normal, PCO2 levels are above normal, and the PO2 levels are below normal.

Other External Ventilation

Other external ventilators used include the pressure-controlled ventilators, jet or oscillation ventilators, and the synchronized mandatory intermittent ventilators.
It is deadly for patients to stay on pure oxygen for a long duration of time. The blood captures oxygen we breathe and binds it with hemoglobin, a transport molecule. Therefore, if a patient intakes high concentrated oxygen than its normal concentration, oxygen present in the lungs overwhelms the ability of the blood to carry it.

Peep (positive end-expiratory pressure) refers to the ventilation method in which positive pressure, which is left in the airways after a respiratory cycle and in mechanically ventilated individuals, is always more than the atmospheric pressure. It is vital for the lungs since it increases the gas volume at the expiration end, which minimizes blood shunting resulting in improved exchange of gas. Increasing peep increases alveolar pressure and volume. Changing the barometric pressure affects the breathing rate (makes it more difficult).

Conclusion

At the end, the nurse is to give the patients some medications that aid in pain control and provide supplemental oxygen to the patient to eliminate any respiratory obstruction. The nurse can also aid the patient to cool down by instructing them to breath along with them.

References

Pauwels, R. A., & Rabe, K. F. (2004). Burden and clinical features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Lancet, 364(9434), 613-620.
https://www.lumc.nl/sub/1070/att/91028021319455/100317001646452.pdf

Varshney, M., Sharma, K., Kumar, R., & Varshney, P. G. (2011). The appropriate depth of placement of oral endotracheal tube and its possible determinants in Indian adult patients. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 55(5), 488. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3237149/