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Written by Dave
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Wednesday, 04 July 2007 |
Definition
COPD is a group of disorders characterised by airway inflammation and airflow limitation that is not fully reversible by bronchodilator or other therapy. Many people are more familiar with the terms chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Susceptible individuals appear to have an abnormal inflammatory response to tobacco (or other substances such as occupational dusts and chemicals).
History
Smoking is the major cause of COPD. Most people who develop COPD have smoked over 20 cigarettes per day for 20 years or more. A much smaller number of people can develop COPD because of a genetic predisposition known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Symptoms
Cough
Sputum production
Breathlessness.
The natural history of the disease is variable but is generally slowly progressive. Early symptoms can be overlooked or misconstrued as the normal effects of ageing.
Testing
Spirometry is the best diagnostic tool for COPD however there is an imperfect relationship between lung function measures such as forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and symptoms. Some people can have symptoms well before they develop significant airflow limitation - a golden opportunity to stop smoking before the disease becomes established. Others can have moderately severe airflow limitation before they seek medical attention for symptoms.
Differential diagnoses
There is an overlap between COPD and asthma and the two diseases can co-exist. According to last year’s Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) report, “Given the current state of medical and scientific knowledge, an attempt to determine
How many Australians does COPD affect and of these people, how many have been diagnosed?
COPD is remarkably common. It affects probably a million people in Australia and of all the people over age 45, it affects one in 10 of them. The tragedy is, that it is undiagnosed in three out of every four people.
Why are so many people with COPD unaware that they have the condition?
COPD seems to creep up on people and that means that they start to develop shortness of breath with ordinary activities that they attribute to being unfit or attribute to getting older. In addition, they might have a smoker’s cough which they just attribute to smoking and don’t really worry about it until either the shortness of breath or the cough become quite severe. That’s when they eventually seek help from their doctor.
What is COPD caused by?
COPD is mostly caused by inhaling irritants into the lung. The most common irritant in Australia and most of the Western world is in fact cigarette smoke. We believe that between 70 and 85 per cent of the risk of developing COPD is caused by cigarette smoke. There are also other causes, such as working in heavy industries or in the agricultural industry.
People who smoke are the most likely people to develop COPD. In fact, people over the age of 40 who have smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years or more, are at very high risk of developing the disease. We believe that about one in three of those smokers will develop COPD.
Cost-to-community
8. What are the financial costs associated with treating COPD each year?
COPD is very costly to the community both through it’s direct and indirect costs. We believe that between $818 and $898 million of expenditure occur every year in Australia. In addition to this, there is also the cost of the carers — the people who look after their loved ones on a day-to-day basis
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Last Updated ( Monday, 09 July 2007 )
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