“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is affecting 251 million lives globally and it causes 3.15 million deaths per year.”
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is the name used to describe a number of conditions affecting the lungs including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is projected to rank third among all causes of death by 2024.
When smoke and other pollutants enter the lungs, the cilia are often paralyzed or destroyed. This causes airways to become swollen and narrowed. Over time, lungs with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease lose their elasticity, get big and floppy, and make it hard for to breathe and release air.
Tobacco smoking has been recognized as the most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for a long time, but recent studies have shown that non-smokers also contribute to a significant proportion of COPD. Multiple risk factors other than smoking also play a major role in the development of COPD, particularly exposure to biomass smoke, treated pulmonary tuberculosis, and long-standing asthma. In India, air pollution and other environmental risk factors are also leading causes of COPD. A study recently published in the Environmental Performance Index in which India ranked the fourth worst country in the world.
Initial Symptoms:
- A nagging cough (often called “smoker’s cough”)
- Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity
- Wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
- Tightness in the chest
Progressive Symptoms:
- Having trouble catching your breath or talking
- Blue or grey lips and/or fingernails
- Trouble with mental alertness
- A very fast heartbeat
- Swelling in the feet and ankles
- Weight loss
To understand treatment and management of COPD disorders please contact Wockhardt Hospital. The Department of Respiratory Medicine provides world-class service in the diagnosis and management of various Respiratory Diseases like COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Lung Cancer, Tuberculosis, and Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders. The Department boasts of a state-of-the-art Pulmonary Function Testing Lab for comprehensive lung function testing and a fully equipped Bronchoscopy unit for complex endobronchial diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
