COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one cause of breathlessness and cough. Unlike asthma the response to inhalers is limited.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It places a major economic burden on both primary and secondary care, costing the NHS around £817.5 million per year. About 1 in 8 acute medical admissions are due to COPD. Whilst the cost to the NHS is high, the effect on individuals is more dramatic, with marked impairment of quality of life in many cases. COPD accounts for 5.6% of all male and 3.9% of female deaths - altogether 26,000 deaths per year.

There is a gradual deterioration in lung function in all of us with age. This is particularly noticeable in those with COPD, especially if they smoke (see graph below). If you smoke and have a cough you may be developing COPD (or even lung cancer).

We are setting up a new COPD service. The nurses who run the service will:

Encourage those who smoke to stop smoking (see smoke-stop)
Promote exercise: regular exercise is very important. This may range from regular brisk walks to specially supervised exercise tailored for all ages and levels of fitness at the Littledown Centre or various sports centres in Poole. Ask when you come for a check to be referred to one of these GP referral schemes.
Measure lung function every year
Work with you to optimise treatment
Encourage you to have annual flu immunisation and a single immunisation against pneumococcus
Help us to identify new patients with the condition

This graph demonstrates how lung function falls with age and the importance of stopping smoking if patients with COPD are to avoid disability.

In the general population smoking cessation is associated with a 40% reduction in the rate of hospitalisation because of COPD in later life. There is no reduction in those who smoke less but do not quit.