Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD), is partially reversible, and the rate of deterioration of the lungs can be slowed down by medication, said experts. Around 50 crore people are suffering with COPD globally, while five crore to five crore 50 lakh people are in the grip of the disease in India, they said.
On World COPD Day, observed on November 19, the theme this year is “Short of Breath, Think of COPD”. The aim is to raise awareness about the disease, and the day’s activities include health check-ups and educational programmes, and focus on prevention, diagnosis, and management of COPD.
Prof RAS Kushwaha, department of respiratory medicine, KGMU, said that COPD can be treated with medicines and the condition of the lungs getting worse can be delayed by medication, but it cannot be reversed like asthma and other lung-related diseases.
The main reasons for COPD are air pollution, smoking, passive smoking, childhood infection, smoke caused by stubble-burning and cow dung cake smoke, and alpha-1 antitrypsin, a protein that, when deficient due to a genetic condition, is a known risk factor for COPD. Even TB (Tuberculosis) and asthma, if not treated properly can turn to COPD, he said.
Common symptoms include coughing and difficulty in breathing, while precautions include quitting smoking. If unable to quit, then the help of a doctor must be sought.
Prof Rajiv Garg, department of respiratory medicine, said that increased AQI (Air Quality Index) can trigger existing COPD conditions in patients. If the person is above the age of 40 years and has difficulty in breathing, he/she must get a pulmonary function test (Spirometry) done for early detection of any kind of lung infection. A clean environment reduces the risk of lung infection.
On normal days, 30% cases are reported at the respiratory medicine OPD of the KGMU, when the total footfall of patients is around 200, while when winter starts COPD cases increase by 40%, he added.
Dr Amar Singh Bisht, chest physician, Lok Bandhu Raj Narain Hospital, said the total footfall at the Chest OPD in normal days was around 30 patients, while in winter, the cases increase three times.