Each November 19 marks World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day.), a disease in which more than half of the patients fail to be diagnosed in time and for which a prevalence of 7 percent is calculated and occupies one of the first places of mortality in the world.
Although it is a disease that has no cure, an early and adequate treatment, helps to give a better quality of life to patients. According to the specialist in Pulmonology, Rafael de Jesús Hernández, COPD is characterized by persistent respiratory problems and limited air circulation. It is estimated that there are around 384 million people with this disease in the world.
“It is a serious health problem that if not diagnosed in time can lead to death. With COPD, the capacity of the lungs is reduced to such a degree that they trap air without being able to expel it adequately. and in turn increases the secretion of mucus which is trapped when trying to exhale, generating a significant respiratory problem,” said the pulmonologist.
Among the risk factors for developing the disease are age, sex, genetics or premature birth that affects the development of the respiratory system.
On the other hand, modifiable external factors that can help prevent COPD are smoking, exposure to air pollutant particles or chemical agents, which could trigger the disease, especially in people who work with the handling of these substances such as gardeners, sculptors, workers of cleaning companies, construction, etc.
For his part, Dr. Ricardo Lemus Rangel, a specialist in Pulmonology, said that COPD has no cure, but there is a treatment that can improve the quality of life of those who suffer from it. He added that early diagnosis slows the progression of the disease and degenerative damage to the lungs, as it can cause severe long-term disability and early death.
The expert explained that living with this diagnosis is a great challenge, not only for the person with COPD, but also for the family environment. “Someone with COPD can suffer decompensation at any time and have breathing problems, which makes accompaniment essential to care for and help the person in any emergency.”
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In addition, “different aspects must be taken care of, such as the quality of the air that the person receives, possible exposure to chemicals, which are often in household products, food care, climatic changes; this, together with the help he requires to carry out daily activities such as dressing or cleaning himself, since he could become short of breath during this process.”
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