Today's topic from Dr. Nancy Blake, a family physician with Village Medical in Liverpool:
COPD
includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis
caused by smoking, exposures or genetic
people may not be aware they have it
treated with various medications
get tested!
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is characterized by cough, shortness of breath and other respiratory problems.
Many people with COPD do not know they have it. They may feel some of the symptoms but attribute it to “just a smoker’s cough”, or some other reason. It is usually caused by smoking but can be caused by exposure to fumes, toxins, and can also be caused by a genetic deficiency of a lung enzyme called “alpha-1 antitrypsin”.
The way to be tested is to get a Pulmonary Function Test. It tests your lung function. COPD is treated with mostly inhaled medications, sometimes oral medications. Quitting smoking is going to stop further worsening of the disease. There is no surgical treatment for this unless the lungs have specific types of damage.
