COPD and trauma

Question 1

What does COPD lessens in a person’s ability?

Answer 1

Tolerance to trauma

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which affects breathing and overall health.

Question 2

Why must many patients with COPD sit up to breathe?

Answer 2

To facilitate breathing

Sitting up helps reduce the work of breathing for patients with COPD.

Question 3

What can strapping a COPD patient to a long board lead to?

Answer 3

Decompensation

Decompensation refers to the failure of the body’s compensatory mechanisms in response to stress.

Question 4

What are COPD patients susceptible to during recovery after trauma?

Answer 4

Pulmonary emboli and infection

These complications can arise due to compromised respiratory function.

Question 5

What is a common characteristic of oxygen saturation in patients with COPD?

Answer 5

Rarely have a ‘normal’ oxygen saturation

Patients with COPD often have lower baseline oxygen saturation levels.

Question 6

What might be unrealistic and harmful for COPD patients regarding oxygen saturation?

Answer 6

Providing supplemental oxygen to achieve a saturation of 98%

High levels of supplemental oxygen can lead to respiratory issues in COPD patients.

Question 7

Fill in the blank: Patients with COPD’s normal oxygen saturation might be _______.

Answer 7

Less than 90%

This indicates that their baseline levels are often lower than the general population.