Like many chronic conditions, lung disease has increased in recent years in the US. Two of the most common lung conditions are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). If left untreated, this disease can wreak havoc on a person’s health and contribute to early death. While NTM has a clear cause in bacteria which penetrate lung tissue, the exact causes of COPD are more complicated and less well understood, making prevention and treatment challenging. Lifestyle factors, especially smoking, factor heavily into the occurrence and seriousness of COPD and NTM. Here is a brief introduction to each condition, including causes, symptoms, and treatment options.
COPD is not actually a specific disease itself, but instead is a broad term to refer to lung diseases that make breathing difficult. These can include non-refractory asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. COPD can have a variety of causes depending on the underlying disease. Emphysema occurs when alveoli sacs in the lungs are damaged. Lung compromise becomes impaired and air becomes trapped in the lungs. Chronic bronchitis is caused by damage to the bronchial tubes, which become swollen and make breathing difficult. Refractory asthma is a type of asthma that does not respond favorably to conventional asthma treatment.
The American Lung Association estimates that 24 million Americans may be affected by COPD. In all COPD cases, the condition progresses gradually, and currently, there is no cure. COPD symptoms can range widely and include an increased sense of breathlessness, frequent coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. However, treatment options do exist to handle these symptoms. Most treatment regimens are individualized based on specific symptoms and underlying health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease which often occur alongside COPD.
Advanced COPD cases where lung function has been impaired substantially, patients may need an oxygen tank to deliver higher concentrations to the lungs. These devices have become much more affordable and easily transported in recent times.
NTM is caused by pathogenic bacteria that live in soil and water. They occur naturally almost everywhere in nature, so avoiding the bacteria is nearly impossible. Usually, a healthy immune system can successfully fight the bacteria once it enters the body to successfully prevent infection. Sometimes, though, a weak or compromised immune system lets the NTM bacteria take hold. NTM infections range in severity. Many go away on their own and do not require treatment. Others are more severe and can sometimes be life-threatening.
An NTM infection becomes a serious health concern when the bacteria enter the lung tissue and inflames the bronchial tube. This can cause difficulty breathing, one of the earliest signs of an NTM infection. Unchecked, a bad NTM infection becomes progressively worse, causing chronic cough, weight loss, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
80,000 people contract NTM infections annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The vast majority of these resolve on their own and do not cause any long-term disability. Fatal occurrences of NTM are quite rare. In severe cases, a lengthy 12-month antibiotics course will usually remove the offending bacteria and restore full lung function.
Lung disease, including COPD and NTM, are the subjects of intense medical research. Environmental factors like air pollution have been linked to lung disease, as well as unhealthy personal practices like smoking. For patients battling COPD, relocating to an area with better air quality and quitting smoking could potentially slow the progression of the disease and extend their lives. Moving into the future, it seems likely that substantial advances will be made in battling lung disease and improving function. Even though there is currently no cure for COPD, it is possible to mitigate the damage and prolong life. Lung specialists called pulmonologists focus specifically on lung conditions like COPD and NTM. They are able to identify risk factors for these conditions, perform diagnostic tests, and prescribe appropriate treatment when necessary.
