6.9 million Pakistanis suffering from the disease. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE: As the world observes Global Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day, over 2,410 million people worldwide are believed to be suffering from the disease with 6.9 million of them being Pakistanis.
Addressing a media briefing organised on Wednesday to mark the day, doctors stressed the need to realise its fatal effects and lack of public awareness regarding it. “We have to realise that the COPD is a major threat. Being a chronic disease, once a man falls prey to it, there is no point of return. If not controlled, it progresses with time. Breathing difficulties stultify the potential of individuals suffering from the disease and relegate them to being unproductive members of society,” Services Hospital Head of Pulmonology Kamran Chima said. He said shortness of breath, persistent cough, coughing up mucus, wheezing, fatigue, weight loss, morning headaches were alarming symptoms of the disease. Chima said it is more prevalent among men than women. He said its prevalence increased with age with the disease primarily affecting people aged 40 years and above. Chima said symptoms of the COPD developed slowly and were mostly dismissed by patients as smoker’s cough or attributed to old age. He said such behaviour was reckless as most patients lost a significant amount of lung function by the time they discovered that they were suffering from the disease. Services Hospital Pulmonology Assistant Professor Ashraf Jamal shared data regarding prevalence of symptoms related with the COPD. He said the prevalence of its symptoms stood at 18.5 per cent while 26.7 per cent came with co-morbidities. Jamal said around 33.3 COPD patients were hospitalised while 26.7 frequented an emergency room due to respiratory problems. He said up to 75 per cent of COPD cases could be attributed to smoking. Jamal said in addition to being at a higher risk, smokers harmed other people through passive smoking.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2015.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
My shortness of breath, dry cough, low energy, fatigue, chest tightness and others gradually disappeared. Visit Akanni herbs foundation. This COPD treatment has improved the quality of my life greatly, i breath much better and feel comfortable doing so!