JOIN USEven as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) cases are reported in growing numbers, there is not enough awareness about the lung disorder, say doctors.
World COPD Day is observed on November 18 and this year’s theme is ‘It’s not too late’.
According to Dr Sandeep H S, consultant pulmonologist and Sleep specialist at People Tree Hospitals, COPD is a common and preventable lung disorder characterised by progressive difficulty in breathing.
He said the estimated burden of COPD in India is about 15 million cases and it accounts for more than three million deaths per year globally, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide.
“Smoking is the single most-important risk factor for COPD around the world and the disease is more common in men. In India, women are also affected because of exposure to biomass fuel and passive smoking. Recent increase in the prevalence of smoking among women may predispose them to COPD,” he said.
Incessant rains and dropping temperatures have aggravated the condition, say doctors. COPD cases are on the rise in Bengaluru following Deepavali. The cold weather is like rubbing salt over a wound and is causing many viral infections, said Dr Sandeep.
According to Dr Prakash Vemgal, Pulmonologist at Fortis Hospitals, cough during early morning hours, exercise and while smoking is one of the first symptoms of the chronic illness. “Wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, headache and fever are a few other succeeding symptoms indicating its presence,” he said in a note.
In a patient suffering from COPD, diffusion of carbon dioxide and oxygen does not happen well, resulting in inadequate oxygen supply to the blood and retention of carbon dioxide. This in turn leads to complications.