gas exchange with the blood. Chronic EIPH causes increased fibrosis of the airway walls and may lead to bronchiolitis and neovascularization of the bronchioles which predisposes for further bleeding. , including Standardbreds, Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, but may be seen in any horse working at high speeds. Exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage is primarily seen in The clinical presentation of EIPH includes epistaxis after exercise, poor performance and exercise intolerance. Diagnosis is made through the clinical signs and symptoms, endoscopy revealing the presence of blood in the airways shortly after exercise and transtracheal aspiration showing the presence of blood or blood components in the fluid of the carina. Treatment of EIPH includes the administration of (Lasixx) before intense exercise, NSAID’s, inhaled corticosteroids, antihistamines and bronchodilators such as Ventipulmin. Prognosis is good if EIPH is related to infection of the Lower respiratory tract, but is poor for athletic performance without furosemide if the EIPH is unrelated to infection. Many horses affected by EIPH are able to compete successfully if a Lasixx program is available.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly called “
”. It is similar
to the condition called asthma in humans.
COPD is caused by any condition that leads to the inflammation of the small airways. The most common causes include small airway inflammatory disease (SAID), chronic and uncontrolled allergies, chronic infection or chronic exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Chronic inflammation of the small airways or repeated damage to the walls of the small airways results in the fibrosis and thickening of the walls of the airways. This causes of the lumen of the airway, which increases the effort required to fully inflate and deflate the lungs. We see this clinically as dyspnea and . Inflammation also triggers the respiratory endothelium to produce increased amounts of mucus. The mucus cannot be cleared from the small airways as the mucocilliary transport system is impaired by the fibrosis of the airways. Excess mucus further narrows the lumen of the airways and impairs the exchange of gasses.
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