COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Turkish Ministry of Health and Turkish Society of Thorax aims to increase awareness of COPD in our population by organization activities every year on World COPD Day within scope of GOLD (Global Initiative of Obstructive Lung Disease) that is founded to increase awareness of COPD at global scale and GARD (Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases) a joint project of World Health Organization and Türkiye. Global prevalence of COPD is 11.7 percent in adults older than 40. The reported rate increases up to 19.1 percent in Türkiye, although there are regional variations.

What is COPD?

COPD is a chronic obstructive disease of lungs. This obstructive lung disease follows a progressive route as a result of the inflammation that develops in pulmonary tract. Although COPD is globally an important public health problems, the condition is well known by public. Prevalence of COPD is 15 to 20 percent in adults older than 40. In other words, one out of every 5 persons older than 40 has COPD in our population. However, only 1 of 10 COPD patients visited a doctor and could be correctly diagnosed.

Based on this fact, only 300-500 thousand of 3-5 million COPD patients knows that s/he has this condition. Respiratory system diseases are the third most common cause of death in Türkiye and COPD accounts for 45.6% of these deaths.

What are underlying factors of COPD?

Tobacco and tobacco products are the most common risk factor for COPD at global scale. Smokers have more respiratory complaints, higher loss of respiratory function and higher COPD-related mortality rates relative to non-smokers.

Other uses of tobacco (pipe, cigar, water pipe etc.) and environmental smoke exposure also cause development of COPD. Role of genetic factors is not exactly known yet in COPD. However, studies demonstrated that negative effects of poverty on development of lung capacity in pregnancy and childhood are a significant factor for COPD in adulthood. Therefore, minimizing social inequality is policy that prevents COPD in members of the population.

On the other hand, indoor air pollution caused by bio-masses, including wood, turf and plant roots, and working at smoky-dusty workplace are the most important environmental risk factors for COPD. Similarly, it is known that outdoor air pollution plays an important role in onset and exacerbation of COPD. Studies point out that COPD-related deaths increase in seasons characterized by severer air pollution. Finally, ever increasing physical activity and sedentary lifestyle that are, recently, emphasized strongly are regarded as a risk factor.

How is COPD Diagnosed?

Common symptoms of COPD are shortness of breath, secretion and cough. Since smokers get accustomed to cough and secretion, they do not see a doctor. Shortness of breath leads to difficulty in physical activity. A person, who suffers from shortness of breath during physical activity, does not want to walk, reduces daily activities, abstains from going to market and eventually prefers not to leave home. The gradually decreasing physical activity lowers quality of life, resulting with progression of disease, disability and death.

In patients with COPD, who have been followed up for twenty years and walk two hours or longer per week, 30 to 40% reduction is found in hospital admission for COPD and rate of mortality due to this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to increase physical activity not only for preventing the disease, but also for stopping its progression.

COPD can be easily diagnosed with “pulmonary function test” which is a simple and painless test. Early diagnosis of COPD decreases rate of disability and death secondary to the disease. Therefore, people older than 40, who are smokers or ex-smokers and/or stay in dusty environments due to their job or environmental factors, should be examined by a pulmonary medicine doctor and have pulmonary function test if chronic cough, secretion and shortness of breath -at least one of them- are present.

Is COPD a treatable condition?

Although it is a progressive disease, COPD is a preventable and treatable condition. A person with COPD should first see a doctor to stop smoking. Smoking addiction is a treatable disease. Moreover, important steps that should be taken in terms of preventing disease, progression and negative outcomes include staying away from other hazardous dust and smoke, having flu and pneumonia vaccines and being physically active in addition to use of inhaled medications. Sufficient physical activity does not require strenuous exercises; moderate physical activity in most days of week will meet this requirement. Walking is an activity that can be done everybody and it can provide almost all benefits of regular physical activity.