Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Hence, this November 20, its World Day, is a key date to raise awareness of the risk factors, the importance of prevention, support resources for those who live with it and to achieve a better understanding and care to achieve greater understanding and care for patients.
This is a progressive condition that reduces the ability to breathe adequately, and in most cases it is closely related, in more than 90 percent, to smoking, either by active and passive smokers. Although to a lesser extent it is also associated with exposure to environmental pollutants and chemicals.
As this terminology may be complex for many people, in other words, COPD also includes pathologies such as bronchitis and emphysema, which also affect the lungs and airways, with constant coughing and shortness of breath being the main symptoms.
Although the lung damage caused by this disease is not reversible, once diagnosed, experts agree that if certain measures are applied, it is possible to prevent its progression.
The recommendations include smoking cessation; avoidance of exposure to smoke, chemicals and dust, especially in high-risk work environments. In addition, staying active has a direct impact on the improvement of respiratory function. As for the available treatments that help to control symptoms and improve the quality of life, bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, oxygen therapy and inhaled corticosteroids, oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation.
This year’s commemoration took the theme Know Your Lung Function, as a way of highlighting the importance for those affected to measure their pulmonary function by means of tests such as spirometry, which can both diagnose and in turn contribute to timely treatment.
This was celebrated for the first time in 2002 and since then it has been instituted every third Wednesday of November.According to figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), this disease affects more than 210 million people worldwide suffer from this disease, It is the fourth leading cause of death, but it is estimated that by 2030, it will be the third leading cause of death by 2030, as the number of deaths due to this cause is expected to increase by more than 30 percent in the next decade.
Today it is still time to seek information and increase our knowledge about this disease and the health health impact it brings with it. If we focus on diagnosis and early access to available therapies, we can improve the lives of those who suffer from it.
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