Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Info & COPD doctors

The abbreviation COPD stands for "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease". This is a collective term for chronic lung diseases. It is characterized by the narrowing of the airways and the increasing obstruction of airflow, particularly when exhaling.

Here you will find further information as well as selected COPD specialists and centers.

Definition: What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases include in particular

• chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) and
• emphysema.

If one of these two lung diseases is present individually or in combination, doctors therefore speak of COPD.

Frequency of COPD

It is estimated that between 8% and 12% of adults in Europe and North America suffer from COPD. The disease is therefore a real widespread disease.

Older people are particularly frequently affected. Men are around two to three times more likely to develop the disease than women.

COPD is also one of the most common diseases leading to death. It is the fourth most common cause of death worldwide - and the trend is still rising.

Symptoms of COPD

The typical symptoms of COPD include

• Shortness of breath: Initially only occurs during physical exertion, in advanced stages also at rest,
• Chronic cough: gets worse and more persistent over time. It is particularly agonizing in the morning after getting up.
• Increased sputum production: Over time, it becomes tougher and more difficult to cough up.

Doctors also refer to these symptoms as AHA symptoms (shortness of breath, cough, sputum). In addition to these AHA symptoms, other symptoms occur as the disease progresses, such as

• weight loss and
• reduced resilience.

Stages of COPD

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, doctors differentiate between the following degrees of severity of COPD. They are primarily based on the degree of lung function:

• Stage 0: risk group with simple chronic bronchitis.
• Stage 1: mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, possibly with coughing, sputum production and shortness of breath during heavy physical exertion.
• Stage 2: moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, possibly with cough, sputum production and shortness of breath.
• Stage 3: severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, possibly with cough, sputum production and shortness of breath.
• Stage 4: very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with chronically insufficient oxygen supply.

Causes of COPD

The main cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is smoking. Around 80% to 90% of COPD patients are smokers or former smokers. Overall, around 15% to 20% of long-term smokers develop COPD in the course of their lives.

In addition to smoking, there are also other risk factors for COPD. These include, for example

• Frequent respiratory infections in childhood,
• living near busy roads with high levels of particulate matter or
• air pollution in the workplace.

In rare cases, COPD can also be caused by congenital hereditary diseases. These include a lack of antibodies (antibody deficiency syndrome) or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Smoking is one of the most common causes of COPD © bilderzwerg | AdobeStock

Diagnosis of COPD

To make a diagnosis, the doctor first conducts a patient interview(medical history). He will ask about the patient's medical history and the exact nature and duration of their symptoms.

This is followed by various examinations, including

• the physical examination,
• lung function diagnostics using spirometry and
• allergy diagnostics to rule out bronchial asthma.

Under certain circumstances, the doctor may order further tests, such as

• a blood test,
• X-rays of the lungs and
• a bronchoscopy.

Treatment of COPD

The aim of COPD treatment is to alleviate the symptoms caused by the disease and to maintain or improve the patient's quality of life.

Various therapeutic measures are available for this purpose, including

• drug treatment with special bronchodilators for inhalation and
• various non-drug treatment approaches such as physical training and physical therapies.

Which specialists and specialist clinics treat COPD?

COPD is treated by lung specialists from the medical fields of pneumology and bronchology.