Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the lungs and results in wheezing, coughing, sputum, and difficulty breathing. It is a group of diseases that include bronchitis and emphysema. The project showcases how the alveoli (air sacs in the lung for gas exchange) and the bronchioles (the branches that lead to the alveoli) are affected. The bronchioles become blocked by mucus and the walls are thickened due to inflammation. This results in very narrow bronchioles that limit the amount of air volume that can be passed. People with COPD will usually cough up a great amount in the morning due to the build up of mucus in their bronchioles. The alveoli in patients with COPD are partially destroyed which results in bigger air sacs and therefore a lower surface area for gas exchange. The drawings show the difference between how a normal lung should look and how lungs with COPD look. I think Chelsea did a great job of showing its effects in a way that was easy to understand.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the lungs and results in wheezing, coughing, sputum, and difficulty breathing. It is a group of diseases that include bronchitis and emphysema. The project showcases how the alveoli (air sacs in the lung for gas exchange) and the bronchioles (the branches that lead to the alveoli) are affected. The bronchioles become blocked by mucus and the walls are thickened due to inflammation. This results in very narrow bronchioles that limit the amount of air volume that can be passed. People with COPD will usually cough up a great amount in the morning due to the build up of mucus in their bronchioles. The alveoli in patients with COPD are partially destroyed which results in bigger air sacs and therefore a lower surface area for gas exchange. The drawings show the difference between how a normal lung should look and how lungs with COPD look. I think Chelsea did a great job of showing its effects in a way that was easy to understand.