Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)
Academic Term
Summer 8-2-2016
Document Type
Project
Course Number
N5330
Course Name
Advanced Pathophysiology
Professor’s Name
Dr. Chovan
Keywords
COPD, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Genetic, Emphysema, Dyspnea, Prolastin
Subject Categories
Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the number one disease process treated in the Pulmonary Department at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center (VAACC). The medical staff includes doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists. The team works together to ensure the veteran gets the best care available. Smoking is very popular in the military, and this puts veterans at a higher risk for COPD, compared to the general public. COPD can develop at a much younger age if the patient has alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). Janciauskiene, Ferrotti, Laenger, Jonigk, and Luisetti (2011) point out that patients who develop COPD with certain genotypes of AATD start showing severe signs of emphysema between the ages of thirty and fifty. Cigarette smoking greatly increases this risk (Janciauskiene, Ferrotti, Laenger, Jonigk, & Luisetti, 2011).
Recommended Citation
Miller, Melissa M., "The Pathophysiology of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and COPD" (2016). Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN). 181.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_msn/181