Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States
...and the 3rd leading cause of death worldwide. In 2010, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States over the age of 45 were diagnosed with COPD. Early respiratory disease terms, like chronic bronchitis and emphysema, are no longer used in the medical world; COPD is now the collective term used for chronic respiratory disease.
This November the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is sponsoring a national educational awareness program to improve understanding of COPD.
The COPD Learn More Breathe Better® Campaign aims to:
• Increase awareness of COPD as a serious lung disease
• Increase understanding that COPD is treatable
• Encourage people at risk to get a simple breathing test and talk to their doctor or health care providers about treatment options.
What is COPD?
COPD is characterized by breathing difficulties and airflow limitation caused by chronic mucus production and the destruction of the lungs over time. Although there is no cure, treating the symptoms of COPD can slow the progression of the disease and prevent “exacerbations.”
Exacerbations are periods of worsening symptoms or “flare-ups” often requiring hospitalization. They are a frequent cause of death in patients with severe stages of the disease and, therefore, prevention and reduction of the severity of subsequent exacerbations is a primary goal in treating COPD. Eventually, the deterioration of lung function in patients with COPD leads to respiratory failure and death.
How is COPD treated?
The symptoms of COPD, chronic cough, excessive mucus, shortness of breath, and respiratory infection, are treated with pharmacologic, oxygen, or ventilation therapy. Since cigarette smoking is present in 95% of cases in the United States, quitting smoking drastically slows lung damage and the progression of the disease. Treatment is largely dependent on the severity of symptoms and the frequency of exacerbations in patients with COPD.
How do I get tested?
The NHLBI urges all current smokers and ex-smokers to get annual spirometry testing to measure their lung function. Spirometry testing involves blowing as hard as possible into a machine that measures lung capacity. Spirometry testing measures Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1), which is the amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled from the lungs in the first second of a forced exhalation.
Learn More about COPD
To learn more about COPD or to get involved in COPD awareness in the month of November visit:
NHLBI - November is COPD Awareness Month
NHLBI - What is COPD?
PubMed Health - COPD
NHLBI - Video on COPD
References
1.
Learn More Breathe Better Campaign. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website. Accessed October 25, 2011.
2.
November is National COPD Awareness Month – Are your lungs trying to tell you something? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website. Accessed October 25, 2011.
3.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. PubMed Health Website. Updated May 1, 2011. Accessed October 25, 2011.
4.
NHLBI – What is COPD? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website. Published June 1, 2010. Accessed October 25, 2011.
5.
How Does COPD Affect Breathing? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website.Accessed October 25, 2011.
6.
Diagnosis A Day Website.Diagnosis A Day COPD.[/link] Accessed November 1, 2011.
