Nine Out of Ten COPD Patients Do Not Know They Are Sick

1 in 4 Smokers Has COPD

COPD, which ranks 3rd among the diseases that cause death today, is predicted to rise even higher in the coming years due to the increase in smoking rates. Informing that approximately 400 million people in the world have COPD, Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi points out that 9 out of every 1O COPD patient, unfortunately, do not know that are also sick.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, also known as COPD, is a very common problem that causes complaints such as difficulty in breathing, cough, and shortness of breath as a result of the narrowing of the airways called bronchus in the lungs and destruction of air sacs called alveoli. Stating that 1 in 4 people who smoke have COPD, Yeditepe University Hospitals Chest Diseases specialist Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi said, "Apart from smoking, childhood infections and the tandoori tradition, which is widely practiced in Anatolia, can also cause COPD. The fuels we call biological fuel burned in tandoori, such as gasses, bush flaps, and peppers, can cause women to be exposed to various gasses and particles and develop COPD."

COPD Patients Are Unaware of Their Disease

COPD is a problem that narrows the airways, makes breathing difficult, and affects the daily life of the patient to a very serious extent. Explaining that patients with COPD have various symptoms ranging from cough and sputum to shortness of breath even in short-distance walking, Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi stated that there are different types of COPD and said:

"The type called emphysema, which results in the deterioration of lung tissue caused by the destruction of air sacs called alveoli, loss of elasticity, and inability to carry enough oxygen to the blood, is called emphysema. In these patients, the staircase, the shortness of breath that occurs when going uphill, starts to be seen even when walking on a straight road as the disease progresses. Another type of COPD is chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is a disease of the airways, unlike emphysema. Cell accumulation in the bronchial wall and an irreversible thickening occur over time. These patients present with cough and expectoration complaints that continue for at least 3 months in the winter months each year. Patients with COPD usually see what they experience naturally, thinking that their complaints such as coughing sputum are due to the cigarette they smoke, and they are delayed in applying to the doctor. Therefore, 9 out of 10 COPD patients do not know that they have COPD because they cannot be diagnosed."

Passive Smokers Are Also at Risk!

Emphasizing that if COPD is not treated and the patient does not quit smoking, these patients may lose their lives at least 10 years before the time they should live, Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi said, "Even smoking one cigarette regularly every day is harmful. However, as the amount and duration of drinking increase, the risk increases exponentially. Tobacco is a carcinogenic substance, even if it is never processed. In addition, in the production of cigarettes, tobacco is subjected to many processes and many additives are added. While the cigarette is burning, many harmful substances are released by the smoke. For this reason, passive smokers who do not smoke but are in a smoking environment are also at risk of COPD."

If You Do Not Quit Smoking, the Disease Cannot Be Cured

Stating that it is unfortunately not possible to completely cure COPD with treatment, Yeditepe University Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi continued as follows: "Therefore, our primary goal is to reduce the symptoms experienced by the patient. In this way, we aim to improve the quality of life. But the main thing is to quit smoking. As long as smoking continues, the disease is impossible to treat and continues to progress. By measuring symptoms such as shortness of breath, we determine the stage of COPD and start drug treatment."