COPD: the third leading cause of death worldwide

Posted: 26/05/2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a commonly occurring and potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of people in the UK and around the world. It is often left undiagnosed, resulting in progression of the disease and worsening of symptoms.  

What is COPD?

COPD is an umbrella term used to describe a group of long-term lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. This includes conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and non-reversible asthma. COPD essentially occurs when the lungs become inflamed, damaged, and narrowed, thus making it more difficult to take in oxygen and remove carbon monoxide.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

The main symptoms of COPD include:

• increasing shortness of breath;
• persistent chest cough;
• frequent chest infections;
• persistent wheezing;
• unintended weight loss;
• extreme fatigue and lack of energy; and
• regular mucus production.

Symptoms of COPD generally get progressively worse over time and individuals might experience flare-ups of their condition. A severe flare-up, without appropriate treatment, can be potentially fatal. Therefore, if an individual experiences symptoms of COPD, they should contact their doctor without delay so this can be investigated and treated as soon as possible.

Who is at risk of COPD?

COPD usually develops because of long-term damage to the lungs from breathing in cigarette smoke. Therefore, it mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke or have smoked. However, this condition can also be caused from exposure to other harmful substances and air pollution. Occupational or environmental exposure to dust, fumes and chemicals can also increase the risk of developing COPD. Furthermore, people that have an underlying lung condition or asthma in childhood are also more at risk of developing COPD, but there are some cases where it can be caused by genetic disorders. Sadly, around 30,000 people die in the UK from COPD each year.

How is COPD diagnosed?

COPD is generally diagnosed using a simple breathing test called ‘spirometry’, and this can be arranged by GPs. Spirometry involves blowing hard and fast into a machine that measures an individual’s lung functioning and capacity. However, spirometry only covers one aspect of an individual’s lung function. Individuals with the same test result may be more, or less, breathless depending on their level of fitness, any other medical conditions, and the exact way COPD has damaged their lungs. Further investigations such as chest X-rays and blood tests may also be arranged to rule out other lung conditions, such as asthma.

Can COPD be prevented?

The main cause of COPD is smoking and the likelihood of developing this condition increases the more often and longer an individual smokes. Therefore, COPD is predominantly a preventable condition and people can significantly reduce their chances of developing it if they avoid smoking. If an individual already smokes, then stopping can help prevent further damage to the lungs and can slow down progression of the disease.

How is COPD treated?

Unfortunately, the damage to the lungs caused by COPD is permanent and irreversible. There is currently no cure for this disease. However, treatment can help to slow down the progression of the condition and control the symptoms so it does not severely restrict an individual’s life. Treatments include:

• immunisation against the flu;
• inhalers and medicines – to help make breathing easier;
• pulmonary rehabilitation – a specialised programme of exercise and education designed for people living with COPD; and
• surgery or a lung transplant – although this is only an option for a very small number of people.

If an individual smokes, the most effective treatment for COPD is to stop smoking.

Medico-legal issues associated with COPD

Whilst symptoms of COPD tend to get increasingly worse over time, treatment can help delay the progression of the disease and keep symptoms under control. Therefore, it is crucial for there to be an early diagnosis.

Unfortunately, as Asthma + Lung UK, the UK’s leading lung health charity, identified in a recent survey of over 6,500 people with COPD this year, there are significant issues with delays to diagnosis, or misdiagnosis of people with COPD, as well as the quality of care provided to people living with the condition.

Varisha Gorasia, an associate in the clinical negligence team at Penningtons Manches Cooper, comments: “There are currently 1.4 million people in the UK living with COPD but there are also a substantial number of cases that go undiagnosed, so the actual figure could be twice that. COPD is a condition that can progressively worsen and significantly impact on an individual’s life. However, early diagnosis and treatment can minimise the risk of deterioration and complications arising from the condition, and it can really improve the quality of life of an individual with COPD.

“This is why our platform is so important as it gives us an opportunity to use our expertise to increase awareness about this condition. It is hoped that by raising awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, this may ultimately reduce the mortality rate associated with late diagnosis or poor management of the condition.”

If you have any concerns about the management of COPD by a health professional, please contact a member of our team and we would be happy to discuss your case.

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