COPD - USING NUTRITION TO PREVENT RESPIRATORY-FUNCTION DECLINE

Close to three-fourths of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from weight loss. Identifying a single cause for this is difficult, as several factors-including chronic mouth breathi ng, dyspnea, aerophagia, certain medications, and depression-often act in concert. Malnutrition can exacerbate symptoms of COPD by decreasin g ventilatory muscle strength, exercise tolerance, and immunocompetenc e, and by increasing the risk of depression and anxiety. Goals of nutr ition intervention are to prevent or reverse malnutrition without wors ening the disease process and to improve respiratory function, thereby reducing morbidity and delaying mortality. Recomendations for intake of fats, carbohydrates, protein, and water must be individualized.