Bronchial asthma, COPD and pulmonary fibrosis are three fundamental diseases of Pneumology. Although of course they are not the only pathologies that affect the lungs and respiratory system, they are some of the most common and in many cases, those affected by them are unaware of the diagnosis, perpetuating and aggravating the symptoms. These are the main diseases to be taken into account throughout life.
Asthma and environmental pollution
Asthma is one of the most prevalent respiratory diseases in developed countries. Its incidence is progressively increasing, probably related to the increase in environmental pollution in our cities.
There are different types of asthma: allergic asthma (more frequent in children and young adults) and non-allergic or non-atopic asthma, more frequent in adults.
Lately we have seen many advances in the knowledge of the causes and treatment of bronchial asthma. Among many, we have studies showing that approximately 50% of asthmatic patients do not follow the treatment prescribed by the physician. This non-compliance leads to poor control of the disease, worsening of symptoms, asthma attacks and in some cases a progressive loss of lung capacity. On the other hand, asthmatic patients who follow regular treatment and periodic monitoring by a pulmonologist have better control of the disease, fewer symptoms, few or no crises and maintain a stable lung capacity throughout their lives.
Accurate diagnosis, regular treatment and periodic follow-up can therefore allow patients to live “as if they did not have asthma”.
COPD and tobacco use
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is the most frequent chronic respiratory disease in our country and its main cause is tobacco consumption. This disease causes a progressive loss of lung capacity and, as a consequence, shortness of breath when making an effort such as walking, climbing stairs, etc.
The only way to diagnose COPD is by performing a spirometry to demonstrate a low lung capacity. For this reason it is very important that all people who have been smokers for years go to the Pneumologist for a spirometry and a chest X-ray to find out if they have COPD or not. The sooner the disease is diagnosed and the sooner the patient stops smoking, the better the prognosis.
Pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease.
In recent years we have witnessed great advances in the knowledge of interstitial lung diseases and pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). These are a heterogeneous group of diseases that affect the lung parenchyma (i.e., the part of the lungs that is responsible for the intervention of gases in breathing), including pulmonary fibrosis or occupational pneumoconiosis such as silicosis or sarcoidosis, among others.
These pathologies are not as frequent as asthma or COPD, but they are complex and must be diagnosed and controlled in experienced centers. The symptoms they cause are shortness of breath when walking, progressive over time.
The basic diagnostic tools are high-resolution CT and bronchoscopy, as well as, of course, the experience of the pulmonologist to assess all the clinical data of the patient.
In short, in case of suspicion of any of these diseases, the patient should be referred to a pulmonologist specialist to perform the corresponding evaluation and tests. Detecting these diseases as soon as possible can make a difference in the patient’s prognosis and quality of life.