World Day of COPD, the main disease caused by tobacco

Today, November 20, is World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day. It is a chronic lung disease that has no cure and is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

On the occasion of this date, we have the collaboration of Dr. Vicente Roig and Dr. María del Carmen Hernández, both pulmonologists and members of Top Doctors, who offer us the details of this disease or set of pulmonary ailments that prevent the patient from breathing well.

What exactly is COPD?

COPD is a “chronic obstruction of the airway, so that the caliber of the bronchus through which air has to pass into the lungs becomes narrower, with less air entering and, moreover, more slowly,” explains Dr. Hernandez. Thus, when air enters, it brushes against the narrower walls and produces high-pitched sounds and a sensation of choking or shortness of breath in the patient. This loss of breathing capacity is usually not recoverable.

What symptoms will the COPD patient notice?

The main symptoms that may lead to suspect COPD are:

  • Persistent cough for more than three months, especially in the morning.
  • Expectoration
  • Dyspnea, which usually appears when practically all breathing capacity has been lost.
  • Choking or shortness of breath
  • Wheezing or whistling when breathing

What are the causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

As Dr. Roig states, in Spain and, in general, in developed countries, smoking is the main (and almost the only) cause. There are no proven differences in the production of COPD according to the different types of tobacco (dark or blond), nor is it proven that light cigarettes reduce its incidence.

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However, there is a rare form of hereditary COPD: a deficiency of alpha-1-antitryoptin, a protein responsible for defending the lung. There are also factors related to COPD, such as smoke from wood-burning stoves or passive smoking.

Smoking cessation is essential to stop COPD

To curb COPD, it is essential to quit smoking. “If smoking is not stopped, the progression of the disease cannot be slowed down. Any COPD patient who does not quit smoking may suffer from a feeling of suffocation, even when fastening shoelaces or combing his or her hair, and may need oxygen due to chronic respiratory insufficiency,” explains Dr. Hernandez.

In addition to smoking cessation, there are patients who require anticholinergics and bronchodilators, which must be administered continuously. In this regard, Dr. Roig points out that, currently, fixed-dose combinations of long-acting bronchodilators have shown improvement in lung function, symptoms, patient exercise tolerance, as well as an increase in overall quality of life. However, this does not mean that smoking, which is the main requirement, should not be abandoned.

In addition, healthy lifestyle habits are recommended, such as going for a 30-minute walk every day and avoiding being overweight. When the disease is very advanced, in cases of impaired respiratory function, pulmonary rehabilitation and home oxygen programs will sometimes be recommended, which have also been shown to be effective.