Interventions and strategies in patients with obstructive airways disease: introduction
Article Abstract:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term that is applied to lung diseases, such as emphysema and asthma, that reduce the amount of air that enters the lungs, reduce the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs, and make breathing difficult. Over the last several decades the incidence of COPD has been increasing, and more women and younger children are developing COPD. Today, COPD is the fifth leading cause of death in the US. It is estimated that 7 to 21 million people living in the US have asthma, and the death rate from asthma has doubled between 1977 and 1984. Approximately 14 million US citizens have COPD related to cigarette smoking; of these 12 million have chronic bronchitis and 2 million have emphysema. The number of women with chronic bronchitis and emphysema is increasing, which is probably related to an increase in cigarette smoking among women. Studies have shown that exercise and air pollution make breathing even more difficult for people with COPD. COPD is treated with drugs that open the lung air passages (such as beta-adrenergic agonists and anticholinergic drugs) and with drugs that reduce tissue inflammation in the lungs (corticosteroids). Albuterol and salmeterol are beta-adrenergic drugs, ipratropium and atropine are anticholinergic drugs, and dexamethasone and prednisolone are corticosteroids used to treat patients with COPD. For these treatments to be effective they must be used as prescribed, but several studies have reported that many patients do not comply with treatment. It is hoped that treating COPD in the early stages of disease will improve patient outcome and quality of life. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: American Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health care industry
ISSN: 0002-9343
Year: 1991
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Public screening for lung disease: experience with the NIH lung health study
Article Abstract:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious form of lung disease that is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Several studies have reported that the incidence of COPD is increasing, and COPD is currently the fifth leading cause of death in the US. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established a lung screening program for the early diagnosis and treatment of COPD. During the lung health study, lung function was evaluated in 66,143 people. From this group, 5,887 individuals with impaired lung function were identified. At the beginning of the study, all subjects smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day and were between the ages of 35 and 59. The subjects were divided into three groups. The first group was told about their impaired lung function and no specific treatments were recommended. The second group participated in a 12-week program to help them quit smoking and receiver treatment with a placebo inhaler. The third group participated in the program to quit smoking and were given treatments with ipratropium three times a day. Ipratropium is a drug that dilates lung air passages. Lung function will be reevaluated on an annual basis over a five-year period to determine if the early diagnosis and treatment of COPD has beneficial effects on patient outcome. The preliminary results from this study indicate that COPD may be more common than previously thought, and that the number of women and younger adults with COPD is increasing. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: American Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health care industry
ISSN: 0002-9343
Year: 1991
User Contributions:
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