TORONTO, Ontario (Globe and Mail), November 20, 2007:As many as three million Canadians suffer from the lung disease COPD, and that number is expected to climb steadily as the population ages, according to new research.
The findings, a doubling of the previous estimates, are being published today by the Lung Association. They echo the conclusions of a large international study issued earlier this year that found that the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is grossly underestimated and that the majority of sufferers are undiagnosed and untreated.
"It is astounding that millions of Canadians who may have COPD haven't been tested," said Dr. Anna Day, director of the gender asthma and COPD program at Women's College Hospital in Toronto.She said it is imperative for people with breathing problems such as shortness of breath and wheezing to be tested for COPD, particularly if they have a history of smoking and are over 40.
A simple breathing test, called spirometry, is used to diagnose COPD. Spirometry involves blowing into a tube to calculate the amount of air the lungs can hold and the rate at which the air is expelled.
Smoking is the number one cause of COPD. There are 4.9 million smokers in Canada currently, and an estimated 9.5 million former smokers.
The new report estimates that 1.5 million Canadians have been diagnosed with COPD and 1.6 million more are living with the condition but have not yet been diagnosed.
These numbers reflect data published earlier this year in The Lancet that found that - based on spirometry testing - about 11.5 per cent of men and 8.5 per cent of women suffer from COPD.
The study says baby boomers - and ex-smokers among them in particular - will be hardest hit by COPD, a degenerative and incurable condition, in the years to come.
"The large number of younger Canadian baby boomers with this disease underscores the need to both educate Canadians and advocate on behalf of current COPD patients," said Nora Sobolov, president and CEO of the Lung Association.
"The devastating impact of COPD must be taken seriously."
Alan Kaplan, a general practitioner in Richmond Hill, Ont. and member of the Family Physician Airways Group of Canada, said far too many people with COPD are suffering in silence.
"It creeps up on people and many blame their symptoms on aging," he said.
But Dr. Kaplan said that while COPD is not curable, the symptoms can be treated, especially if the condition is detected early.
There are puffers and inhalers similar to those used by people with asthma that help with breathing. (However, the conditions are very different: Asthma is lung inflammation, often triggered by allergies; COPD is a gradual destruction of the lungs by noxious fumes.)
People with COPD can also undertake exercise programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. In the advanced stages, sufferers can also use supplemental oxygen in a portable tank.
"Like most chronic illnesses, early detection of COPD can improve outcomes and quality of life for patients," Dr. Kaplan said.
He, too, stressed the importance of spirometry testing, and bemoaned the fact that many physicians do not routinely test their patients.
COPD, which is sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis, is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada.
Do you have COPD?
The Lung Health Test is a tool designed to help Canadians recognize the symptoms of COPD. Canadians who are over 40 and are current or former smokers should visit their doctor if they answer "yes" to any of the following questions:
* Do you cough regularly?
* Do you cough up phlegm regularly?
* Do even simple chores make you short of breath?
* Do you wheeze when you exert yourself, or at night?
* Do you get frequent colds that persist longer than those of other people you know?
The doctor will perform a spirometry test, which involves blowing into a tube to measure lung function.
Click to Visit: The Lung Association
© Copyright 2007 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.
By Andre Picard
