360° Human Explorer Tour: COPD

COPD Awareness
Let’s learn about COPD using the 360 Human Explorer. First, I navigate to the respiratory system, where I can explore detailed models of the lungs. These models show the anatomy, including the nasal and oral pharynx, the larynx, the trachea, and the bronchi.

Healthy lungs look like pink, spongy structures with interconnected air pockets. In COPD, these structures become damaged. The bronchial tubes lose their stiffness and become floppy, making it harder to exhale. This leads to trapped air, wheezing, and mucus production. Chronic bronchitis, a component of COPD, often involves infected mucus, which may appear yellow or green.

Over time, the alveoli walls break down, forming non-functional spaces called blebs. This limits oxygen exchange, and mucus accumulation can lead to infections. Muscles around the airways may constrict, further narrowing the passages and making breathing difficult.

Treatment for COPD includes antibiotics for infections, mucolytics to thin mucus, anti-inflammatory medications to reduce mucus production, and bronchodilators to relax airway muscles.

Avoid secondhand smoke, fumes, and dust to protect your lungs.

Use the 360 Human Explorer to expand your knowledge about COPD and the respiratory system.