Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a pathology that requires immediate attention from health authorities and the general population, as it has become the third cause of death globally, affecting people of all ages. socioeconomic strata and age groups and claiming around 3 million lives a year.
COPD
COPD is a chronic respiratory condition that obstructs the flow of air in the lungs, causing difficulty breathing. Its main cause is long-term exposure to irritating gases; especially cigarette smoke; as well as genetic predispositions, asthmatic patients or events that affect lung development in childhood. “Currently, this pathology causes USD $106 billion in economic expenses in the world and these figures are expected to increase in the coming years, due to the high hospital admission due to complications.” mentioned Dr. Andrés Rojas, Medical Director of AstraZeneca for Central America and the Caribbean.
The mortality rate is high, with 1 in 5 patients dying within a year after their first hospitalization, which emphasizes the importance of transforming the lives of these people through early intervention and making innovative treatments available. . Preventing exacerbations is a key clinical priority, as even a single exacerbation can cause further deterioration of a patient’s lung function and aggravate their condition.
The main symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections, fatigue, unintentional weight loss, swelling of the legs, ankles or feet. The measures that patients can implement to improve their quality of life and help control the pathology are avoiding tobacco, regular physical activity and getting vaccinated against respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, flu and COVID-19. Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is considered progressive and worsens over time, it is treatable.
According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the incidence in the Latin American region has increased and there is a growth in the prevalence of 13.2 million cases, being more common in men and older people. It is estimated that by 2050, the prevalence in the region will be more than 25 million cases, surpassing North America and the Europe-Central Asia area.
“COPD has a significant impact on the lives of patients, including physical consequences such as difficulty in carrying out daily activities, thus harming the patient’s quality of life, emotional effects, and to this is added a decrease in productivity, which is why that their economic income is reduced. It is important to call on health authorities to transform care for these people, achieving greater access to therapies that reverse the damage and deterioration of lung function, and generating more information to prevent the disease, understanding that it is a threat to the health of the population and health systems around the world,” added Dr. Rojas.
No cure, but adequate treatment
To achieve a diagnosis, the patient must be studied by a specialist and confirmed by medical tests such as spirometry, which is a lung function test, chest x-rays, tomography, arterial blood gas analysis, and other laboratory tests. . Although there is no cure for COPD, there are treatments that help improve the situation of patients and delay the progression of the disease.
