Detecting COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems, is both preventable and treatable. But the vast majority of patients go undiagnosed, making the disease to be the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
"Often, patients don't notice that they are experiencing COPD until a sizeable amount of lung function is already lost," said Prevea Pulmonologist Manar Alshahrouri, MD. "Prevea recently held a community spirometry screening to detect COPD. We scanned 120 people, and found abnormal results in 37 patients—that's over 30 percent of the people screened. And several of the cases were extremely advanced."
According to Dr. Alshahrouri, the main cause of COPD is smoking, which means that most cases may be prevented by simply not smoking.
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Common symptoms of COPD include:
- Long lasting or chronic coughing
- A cough that consistently produces mucus
- Shortness of breath
- Family history of lung disease
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The first step in detecting COPD is a simple breathing test called spirometry. During this test, which takes less than five minutes to complete, the patient is asked to breathe into a machine that measures lung strength. If abnormal results are found, additional tests will be completed to measure the seriousness of the disease and to help determine a treatment plan.
"All people 40 and older who smoke or have smoked in the past should consider having a spirometry screening to detect COPD," said Dr. Alshahrouri. "The damage to the lungs can't be undone, but if detected early, the symptoms of COPD can be treated allowing the patient to live a more normal life."
For more information on COPD and spirometry screening, talk to your primary care provider during your next appointment, or call Prevea Sleep & Respiratory Care at (920) 272-1240 to schedule a screening today.