Effects of Smoking, Depression, and Anxiety on COPD Patients - Essay Example

Smoking and COPD - Effect of smoking depression and anxiety on mortality in COPD patients As discussed in the article “Effects of Smoking, Depression, and Anxiety on Mortality in COPD Patients: A Prospective Study” by Lou et al (2014), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease has emerged as an epidemic during and various reasons have been attributed to its massive occurrence in different corners of the globe. While external factors such as smoking have been identified as a major stimulant of this disease, the genotype of an individual, which is inherited. leads to a deficiency or production of excess enzymes that causes destruction of lung tissues and eventually results in COPD. Although smoking is not the direct cause of this disease, it is one of the major risk factors associated with malfunctioning of lungs. At the same time, the researches in the field of lung diseases have revealed that the habit of smoking cannot be referred to as entirely external as the temperament of smokers are likely to be similar within the family as well and hence, it is genetic to a certain extent. The paper takes up the negative impact and hazard of smoking and implies the need to educate smokers. The main feature of this disease is partial or complete reverse of the airflow in the lungs, which develops very fast and also leads to inflammation in the passage of air. Smoking enhances the danger of developing COPD and this habit must be abandoned. Interestingly, discarding the habit of smoking have shown significant reduction of inflammation in those people who have no other symptoms of COPD although in many people, it has been observed that the inflammation of airways have either risen or remained in the same state even after giving up smoking (Lou et al, 2014). Smoking may lead to resistance in those patients who are under the treatment of inhaled corticosteroids or ICS. This treatment, which is often administered for asthmatic patients who are smokers show minimal effectiveness towards corticosteroids when compared with non smokers. In contrast, another study, which is short, reveals little or no anti-inflammatory effects in smokers with COPD in comparison to restricted benefits showed by ex smokers (Hoonhorst., Hackenten, Vonk, Hiemstra , Lapperre, Stark, and Postma 2014, pp. 1-2). The assessment of risk factors is one of the primary steps for deciding the course of action as far as the treatment of COPD is concerned. It is true that family history of lung diseases increase the probability of developing COPD, but dangers of smoking are equally high for which it is now identified as one of the direct causes of this disease. According to a particular study dealing with the activation of killer cells that are responsible for causing COPD or other pulmonary diseases, it has been found that the number of cigarettes consumed each day is directly related to this process; on the other hand, the presence of killer cells or the process of activation has greater association with the state of the body, which may be diseased although the rate is significantly high in current and ex smokers with COPD than those without any disease (Wang, Urbanowicz., Tighe, Todd , Corne ` and Fairlough 2013). While unraveling the tendency of developing COPD, one may note that the results are scary for smokers whether in men or women. A study has shown that alpha-SMA positive cells that are usually distributed over the lungs are scanty in bronchioles and alveoli in those people who are affected with COPD and belong to the group of active smokers. Moreover, the lining of the cells that are made up of myofibroblasts and fibroblasts and experimentally acquired from peripheral portion of the lung also reveals reduced count of alpha-SMA cells in those individuals who are affected with COPD and smokers thereby supporting the results that have been obtained from immune histo chemistry (Karvonen Lehtonen Harju, Sormunen Lappi-Blanco, Makinen, Laitakari, Johnson & Kaarteenaho, 2013. pp 7-8). One of the vital points to note is that the initiation of this disease does not present striking irregularities in the functioning of lungs; thus, a majority of people remain unaware about this health malady until the problems are no longer under control. Furthermore, there is no specific medicine and cure for COPD although smokers feature in the risk list. Despite the message of awareness about the ill-effects of smoking, among 16 million people in United States who are already affected with this disease, about 40% of them continue with this habit. It is beyond doubt that people with history of smoking have revealed greater tendency of developing this disease and the results have already proved that out of 15 people dying of COPD, 14 are smokers (Vozoris and Stanbrook 2011). The gender differences are also to be noted for relating smoking with people who are suffering from COPD and chronic problems like asthma. On the basis of studies and the reports published thereafter, women are more prone to COPD when the demographic figures are taken into account. Unfortunately, the methods of reducing smoking which includes physical counseling and pharmacotherapy create little interest among smokers, the target group and only partially tried by people who are already in the grip of COPD or suffering from asthma (Vozoris and Stanbrook 2011, pp 477-84). There aren’t many questions about the correlation between lung problems and smoking; however, there should be sufficient research and analysis when a disease like COPD has spread in a massive way, and there is little that can be done for those who are already struggling to get rid of this health malady. As there are sufficient studies and evidences about the prevalence of COPD among smokers, it is time now to act readily. The problems of modern day life and the level of competition at home and in workplace tend to make people more susceptible to the habit of smoking despite having adequate knowledge about the health risks that are associated with them. Thus, the probabilistic model, which is based on the notion of biological age and meant to assess the condition of lungs in females and the results that have been achieved indicates that malfunction of lungs is faster in current smokers with emphysema than those who have left this habit (Chiappa, Winn, Tipney and Spector 2013. pp.11-12). It may be recommendable that smokers should begin educating themselves about the hazards of lung diseases that are immensely correlated with this habit of smoking and increases the vulnerability of modern day life. References Chiappa S., Winn J., Vinuela A., Tipney H., Spector T.D. (2013), A Probabilistic Model of the Biological Ageing of the Lungs for Analyzing the Effects of Smoking, Asthma and COPD, Respiratory Care 14(5), UK. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=cd9f48be-c978-4d2f-a00b-8bb11018e1e2%40sessionmgr110&vid=4&hid=117 Hoonhorst J.M.S., Hackenten H.T.M., Vonk M.J., Timens W., Hiemstra S.P., Lapperre S.T., Peter J. Stark J.P., and S. Postma S.D. (2014) Steroid Resistance in COPD? Overlap and Differential Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Smokers and Ex Smokers, Plos One, 9(4) Netherlands. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=585016df-6dae-4d15-bdb0-c952db1a4da1%40sessionmgr115&hid=117 Karvonen H.M., Lehtonen S.T., Harju T., Sormunen R.T., Lappi-Blanco E., Makinen J.M., Laitakari K., Johnson S., and Kaarteenaho R.(2013), Respiratory Research, 14(8) Finland. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5587892c-f3e4-4301-b6fb-11c67a1f900e%40sessionmgr114&vid=4&hid=117 Lou et al, (2014) Effects of Smoking, Depression, and Anxiety on Mortality in COPD Patients: A Prospective Study, Respiratory Care, 59(1), 54-61 Vozoris N.T. and Stanbrook M.B.(2011), Smoking Prevalence, Behaviors, and Cessation among Individuals with COPD or Asthma, Respir Med, 105(3), Canada. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/docview/1035133471/880FF8FE477D410EPQ/3?accountid=8289 Wang J., Urbanowicz A.R., Tighe J.P., Todd I.,Corne M.C., and Fairlough C.L, (2013), Differential Activation of Killer cells in the circulation and the Lung : A Study of Current Smoking Status and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Plos One 8(3), United Kingdom. Retrieved on April 20, 2014 from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=67ba5df2-1f3e-47a4-a3a7-a65d8a6abe4f%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4104 Read More