COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is the third leading cause of death in America, killing more than 120,000 Americans in 2007, according to the most recent statistics. That’s one death from COPD every four minutes.
While more than 13 million U.S. adults are estimated to have been diagnosed with COPD, stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate underdiagnosis of the chronic lung condition. An equal number of people may have COPD and not know it.
“The evidence suggests that as many as 12 to 13 million people have COPD but have gone undiagnosed,” says Byron M. Thomashow, MD, medical director of the Center for Chest Disease at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University, and chairman of the board of the COPD Foundation.
How to Identify COPD Symptoms
You may be experiencing COPD symptoms like a chronic cough without knowing what they are. COPD symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath, especially when doing everyday activities. Dr. Thomashow says this includes such things as getting dressed, walking downstairs, or going shopping.
- A constant or chronic cough that many people call a “smoker’s cough”
- Producing excess mucus or phlegm (known as sputum)
- Tightness in your chest when you breath
- Feeling like you are unable to take deep breaths
Unfortunately, Thomashow says, many people who experience these COPD symptoms make excuses for them. They cut back on their activities rather than admit they have a problem or seek COPD treatment.
“A doctor may ask his patient, ‘how’s your breathing?’ and the patient replies, ‘it’s not bad,’ because he has cut back on his activities,” Thomashow notes. “It would be better if the doctor were to ask: How is your breathing compared to a year ago? Can you do what you used to do?” If the answer to the latter is no, the issue shouldn’t be swept under the rug.
If your breathing isn’t as good as it was a year earlier or if you find that you’re wheezing when you walk from the house to the car, it could be from one of a number of cardiac or lung conditions, Thomashow says. Patients have to be honest with themselves and their doctors and work together to make the situation better. “COPD is almost always a treatable disease,” he says, “but in order to treat it, we need to diagnose it.”
The earlier you are diagnosed with COPD, the easier it is for you to get appropriate and effective treatment. Doctors base their diagnosis on your symptoms and a simple, non-invasive breathing test known as spirometry.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Some everyday habits can put you at greater risk for COPD. Here’s what you should do to reduce your risk:
- Quit smoking. About 80 to 90 percent of all COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking. Most people who are diagnosed with COPD are older than 40 and have a history of smoking — they are either former or current smokers. The best thing you can do is stop smoking now to improve your lung function.
- Avoid pollutants. You’re at greater risk for COPD if you have had long-term exposure to substances that can irritate your lungs, such as chemicals, dust, or toxic fumes. Also, long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can put you at greater risk for COPD. Avoid these environmental causes of COPD as much as possible.
Genetics also may play a role in whether you develop COPD. Research shows that people lacking the blood protein alpha-1 antitrypsin, or ATT, may be at greater risk for COPD. However, only a small number of patients have ATT-inherited COPD.
Be honest with yourself and your doctor. If you find you can’t do the activities you used to without becoming short of breath or wheezing, tell your physician. Prompt COPD treatment will allow you to lead a more active and enjoyable life.
Get more on COPD treatment by downloading the free Everyday Health COPD Tracker for your iPhone.