COPD: A Silent and Underdiagnosed Disease
Chronic breathlessness should never be normalised.
Dr. Hélène Marquet
Pulmonologist
Chronic cough, sputum, and progressive exertional breathlessness in a current or former smoker after 40 should prompt spirometry.
Beyond smoking
Occupational dust, biomass smoke exposure and severe childhood respiratory infections also contribute. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a rare genetic cause.
Management
- Smoking cessation: the only intervention that changes the disease's natural course
- Bronchodilators (LAMA, LABA) form the cornerstone
- Pulmonary rehabilitation improves dyspnoea and quality of life
- Vaccination (influenza, pneumococcus, COVID-19) prevents exacerbations
Severe disease
Long-term oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, and lung volume reduction help selected patients.
A spirometry test takes 10 minutes and can confirm or rule out COPD definitively.
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