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6 second screening to diagnose the condition
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide. In India approximately 15 million suffer from COPD. What’s more worrying is that COPD causes four times more deaths in India, compared to the US and Europe.
World COPD Day today
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide. In India approximately 15 million suffer from COPD. What’s more worrying is that COPD causes four times more deaths in India, compared to the US and Europe.
Experts share that now there are simple tools available for early screening of symptomatic COPD patients. In six seconds doctors can either rule out COPD or evaluate with further tests to confirm COPD.
November 18 is World COPD Day this year; it presents an ideal opportunity to spread awareness on COPD.
Most of the patients reach doctors at a stage when disease is advanced and the chances of lung attack are high making it difficult for patients and their families. One of the key objectives for doctors treating COPD is to prevent or even delay lung attacks.
To commemorate the occasion, leading chest physician of Hyderabad Dr Vijai Kumar Ratnavelu Pulmonary and Critical Care, Hyderabad has undertaken a mission, “Finding Millions. Treating Millions.” for spreading awareness about the disease.
Speaking on the prevalence of the disease, Dr Vijai said, “As a Pulmonologist I see more COPD among men than in women. Invariably tobacco smoking is the chief culprit.”
COPD is a non-communicable lung disease that progressively robs sufferers of breath. However, recent studies indicate that 25 per cent to 50 per cent of people with clinically significant COPD don’t even know that they have COPD. That is because the early stages of COPD are often unrecognised.
“The early symptoms of COPD are persistent cough, bringing up sputum and breathlessness during physical activity like exercise or going up a flight of stairs,” said Dr Vijai Kumar.
“People might discount these symptoms as a normal part of getting older, but they can be signs of a serious disease that needs treatment.” he added.
Although there is no cure for COPD treatments are available that alleviates symptoms of breathlessness so that patients can participate fully in daily life. Patients may be able to slow or even stop the progress of COPD by reducing their exposure to risk factors, such as tobacco smoking.
“If you find it hard to breathe and are above 35 years of age, you live or work in areas where there is smoke, noxious gas, if you are or were a smoker, ask your doctor about a simple screening test to rule out COPD,” said the doctor.
