Written Case Study – Pathophysiology II
(Location of the University) 1. Describe the underlying pathology of COPD. What impacts do these pathological changes have on normal physiology? In particular, describe alveolar ventilation in a normal individual and discuss how this might be different in Mr Wenham. (20 marks) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is touted to be the third leading cause of death in the United States of America. In 2010, it has claimed the lives of 134,676 individuals (CDC 2013). By definition, COPD presents persistent blockage of airflow in the lungs — thus interfering normal breathing. Those afflicted with such condition generally ...
