Increasing awareness
of heart diseases makes their detection early and prompt. But the flip side of
the story is that all breathlessness in thought to be coming from heart
ailments. We tend to forget the
5th most killer disease of the world,
COPD (Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease).
Smoking, urban life, outdoor & indoor air pollution all contributes to
fast ageing of lung. When fast pathological ageing of lung start i.e. rapid decline
of FEV1 than normal detected in Lung Function Test, it is termed as COPD. It is a progressive life threatening lung disease.
It kills 3 million people worldwide per year. It accounts for 5% of all death globally. More than 90% of COPD death occurs in low middle income countries. There is a steep rise in number of COPD cases. It has increased by a whopping 27%
in last decade. It is the 5th biggest
killer disease and will become 3rd most killer disease by 2020.
Chronic bronchitis or Emphysema are the day today conversation words used for COPD. Early
detection may change the course of disease and significantly reduce the morbidity and death rates associated with it. The common symptoms of COPD – cough,
sputum production, breathlessness, weakness, fatigue etc.
Prevention
of COPD:
1. Avoid tobacco smoke
2. Avoidance of outdoor & indoor air
pollution
3. Early detection with Spirometry, which measures
lung function. It is also called PFT test
Treatment
of COPD:
1. Quit Smoking
2. Bronchodilator
3. Pulmonary rehabilitation comprising of
- Exercises
-
Breathing maneuvers
-
Nutrition
-
Vaccination Flu shot, Pneumococcal
-
Disease Education
4. Supplemental Oxygen if required
5. Management of acute Exacerbation
“Knowledge
is Prevention, Knowledge is Cure”
Let’s join hands to make our COPD patient live longer & healthier.
