Exacerbation Alert for COPD and all respiratory patients!  If you are fighting a lung condition, the blasting summer heat of 2023 might be causing your exacerbations.

In this article, we focus on COPD exacerbations. However, keep in mind that many of the symptoms discussed below can pertain to any patient suffering from a chronic pulmonary disease.

This is especially true in high-heat summer situations. The doctors and staff of FLASS want this blog to serve as an alert to all our readers suffering extreme breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing in the remarkable 2023 summer heat.

We want you to be aware of the danger of exacerbation.

COPD Exacerbation Defined

Exacerbation Alert: A COPD Diagnosis Could Mean Long- Term Recovery!

We Do Not Have a Crystal Ball. However, We Are Certain That If You Have COPD, You Will Eventually Face an Exacerbation.

If your doctor has diagnosed you with COPD, you know you have a “persistent respiratory disease that may cause long-term, progressive lung damage.”

When your symptoms suddenly become significantly worse and more acute, you know you are having an exacerbation. Just as in asthma, COPD patients often know their triggers.

Exacerbation Alert Warning Expanded in 2023

This alert is warning you that the triggers of heat and humidity can sneak up on you. You might suddenly have very severe symptoms and need therapy, new medicine, or hospitalization.

After an exacerbation, you might or might not be able to return to your personal status quo. In other words, you could incur more permanent lung damage.

Exacerbation Alert:  6 Consequences of a COPD Exacerbation

Let’s look at six ways a COPD exacerbation can hurt you.

  • It can easily cause your disease to progress in intensity.
  • An intense flare-up could simply signal that you must have changes made to your medications.
  • Did you know that exacerbation, or several of them, can possibly increase the cost of your healthcare?
  • We won’t sugarcoat it, an exacerbation can put you  in danger of “causing irreversible lung damage.”
  • In turn, frequent exacerbations could “lower your quality of life.” You might have to change your lifestyle or reduce your schedule.
  • Be careful with an exacerbation because it can even increase your risk of hospitalization and death.

Three Big Exacerbation Alert Facts

Fact 1: How many typical exacerbations come with a COPD diagnosis? Statistics say that on average, you should expect between 1.85 and 1.3 exacerbations per year after a COPD diagnosis.

Fact 2:  Likewise, you can count on them to take about 2-3 days to worsen. Then they might continue for 7 to 14 days. However, as we stated above, an intense exacerbation might not allow your lungs to return to pre-exacerbation levels.

And in part two of this topic, we will appraise you of the types of treatments you can expect from an exacerbation.

Fact 3:  We have also learned that an estimated ten million COPD patients are responsible for exacerbation-related healthcare visits every single year.

Exacerbation Alert Symptoms from COPD

In addition to the normally expected symptoms from COPD, patients report severe shortness of breath. Check for the below list of warning signs.

  • Are you breathing fast and very shallowly? Some patients call this panting.
  • Of course, you will cough more than usual, feel breathless, and you might experience lower oxygen levels.

Extreme Exacerbation Alert Symptoms

  1. Do you feel suddenly sleepy? Are you finding your cognitive ability unusually slow and confused?
  2. Check your sputum. Do you find it much more than usual? Is the color green, yellow, tannish, or bloody?
  3. Are you wheezing and feeling a clenching chest tightness?
  4. Any of these symptoms could mean you are having an exacerbation. We advise you to contact your doctor immediately.
  5. Remember, just one really strong exacerbation can cause many more. These episodes can become more frequent, last longer, and be more severe every time you experience them. Additionally, it can increase the frequency, duration, and severity of episodes.

Symptoms of  COPD Exacerbation That Ignite an Emergency

If you suffer the aforementioned confusion and have a headache, go to the doctor, ER or dial 911 for help. Likewise, if you turn blue, feel clammy, or cannot coordinate your walking, get help.

Likewise, when you have an extremely difficult ability to catch your breath, heed our exacerbation alert, and get medical help immediately.

Exacerbation Alert:  Causes if You Have COPD

You might know your triggers already, but we want to review the common causes that throw a patient into exacerbation. Topping the list are viral infections or bacterial tracheobronchial infections.

Naturally high on our list is smoking, which you already know is deadly for you. Likewise, you cannot always control the air.

Additionally, try to avoid chemicals, fumes, smoke, and dust. For 2023, this exacerbation alert especially includes smoke from forest fires in our previous article. We would be remiss if we did not warn you against all air pollutants and irritants.

Special Exacerbation Alert:  Know Your Safety Measures in the 2023  Summer Heat

Please Heed This COPD Exacerbation Alert! Be Aware of Your Triggers And Be Mindful of Surrounding Conditions.

As we previously stated above, the especially cruel heat and humidity of this year’s summer season concerns us greatly for our COPD patients. Along with our exacerbation alerts, we feel obliged to offer you some safety measures to avoid exacerbation.

Be aware that some of these measures might become more difficult because of the progressive attitude of this disease.

  •  Thus, we present our anti-heat safety measures, which even work well for healthy people. By the way, we are re-publishing these safety measures from a previous FLASS blog article on the same topic.
  • Increase fluid intake even when you do not feel thirsty or more active.
  • We advise you to wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen, even if you are not going into broad sunlight.

Three More Star-Studded Tips To Avoid COPD Exacerbations This Summer

First, and this is a great tip:  Plan activities carefully during the early morning hours or after the sun goes down.
Secondly, Park in shady areas to stay cool.
Thirdly,  Use your air conditioner and your air filter machine if you have them.

Exacerbation Alert:  Safety Measures for More Serious COPD Patients

  • Use the buddy system. Have a friend call and check on you on particularly hot days. (Utilize this in winter cold also. Cold as well as heat can be a trigger for a COPD exacerbation.)
  • You should avoid excessive activity or strenuous challenges if you feel an exacerbation might be starting. This especially includes exercising in the heat.
  • Always take your medicines as directed in your COPD Action Plan.

Terrific Take-Aways from Our FLASS “Exacerbation Alert” for COPD

Exacerbation Alert For COPD and Other Chronic Respiratory Sufferers: Beware of the Heat in Summer 2023,

We did not publish these facts about exacerbation to cause COPD patients to feel alarmed or anxious. As we have said previously, “An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure.”

We simply want to make you aware of all the facts and what to expect from a COPD exacerbation.

The doctors and staff of FLASS (Florida Lung, Asthma, and Sleep Specialists) want our patients to be mindful of the dangers and challenges of COPD exacerbations, especially in the heat of 2023.

Once again we thank you for reading the FLASS blog. This alert is especially essential if the doctor has diagnosed you or someone you love with COPD.

And, be sure to read the upcoming Part Two of this article, which will focus on treatments for COPD exacerbations.