How can you recognize serious COPD complications
                     How can you recognize serious COPD 
complications ?
For those who are unaware of what is COPD, it refers to a group of lung 
diseases that leads to blocked airways. It keeps you from breathing normally 
and leads to coughing, mucus production, and wheezing. Patients suffering 
from this health condition can develop other ailments and conditions related 
to COPD. Thus, such people may be in greater health jeopardy than they 
realize. To inform readers about these issues, here are a few COPD 
complications and tips to avoid them.
Other ailments you may develop if you have 
COPD
Pneumonia:
Pneumonia refers to a condition when bacteria or virus enters your system 
and leads to an infection. It is a significant cause of death worldwide and 
results in a chain reaction of ailments that can harm your lungs. For people 
with a weakened pulmonary system, like someone who has COPD, the 
condition can be a real threat. Thus, one should be extra careful not to 
develop this problem. For this, you should drink plenty of fluids, get a 
pneumonia vaccine, quit smoking tobacco, and wash your hands consistently.
COPD heart failure:
People with COPD must know that they are at a high risk of suffering from 
COPD heart failure. It is so because patients of this ailment have lower oxygen 
levels in the bloodstream. And, since the functioning of your lungs is closely 
tied with the workings of your heart, the heart can get affected because of 
diseased lungs. Experts suggest that it can cause severe pulmonary 
hypertension, which results in right-sided heart failure in 5% - 10% of people. 
To prevent heart failure, COPD patients are advised to engage in mild to 
moderate levels of physical activity, give up smoking, and stick to a COPD 
treatment plan.
Lung Cancer:
A risk factor for developing COPD is smoking. Thus, it is common for people 
suffering from this condition to have lung cancer. But, this is not the only 
connection between these ailments. Breathing in polluted and chemical-rich 
air can also irritate the lungs and cause a person to develop one or both of 
these conditions. Besides, genetics may also play a role. Therefore, to prevent 
lung cancer from developing, people should avoid factors that can damage 
the lungs.
Diabetes:
COPD may not result in diabetes, but it can make it harder for the patient to 
manage diabetes. One reason for this is that certain medications that are 
suggested to COPD patients adversely affect glucose control. Another risk 
factor for people with both diabetes and COPD is that people with the prior 
condition may have an affected cardiovascular system, which, in turn, can 
affect their pulmonary condition.
Dementia:
In people who are suffering from severe COPD, mental decline happens. It is 
especially the case with older people who have this condition. The opposite is 
also true since COPD is a risk factor for dementia. It occurs because symptoms 
like low oxygen levels and high oxygen levels common in COPD can cause 
harm to the brain. Also, cerebrovascular damage that happens because of 
smoking leads to the development of dementia. It is advised to maintain a 
healthy weight, not smoke tobacco products, and manage cholesterol and 
sugar levels to prevent this from happening.
So, these are a few conditions that people suffering from COPD must be alert 
of.
                                 Thank You