Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Main article: Light man

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2021, 65 million people have chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseThe global impact of respiratory diseases. According to WHO statistics, 3.23 million people died from COPD in 2019 alone.

According to the WHO, COPD is considered the most common pathology among the group of chronic respiratory diseases, which, according to 2021, account for 9.5% of the mortality structure from non-communicable human diseases and 3.3% of the total number of deaths from any natural causes. Every year, 3.9 million people die from respiratory diseases in the world.

Causes of the disease

Most residents of large cities are at risk of developing COPD. Among the main causes of the disease, the leading place is occupied by exposure to tobacco smoke and the consequences of environmental pollution: dust, smoke and chemicals entering the respiratory tract.

Symptoms

As a rule, in the initial stages of the disease there are no pronounced clinical manifestations, but this disease is very dangerous. Among the characteristic symptoms of COPD, experts distinguish shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, cough and fatigue.

It is impossible to cure. Reduced risk of relapses

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cannot be cured, however, early diagnosis and competent therapy help slow its progression, relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of exacerbations.

"Cellular inflammation in COPD is diverse and echeloned why there is currently no single drug agent capable of blocking inflammation. That is why the risk reduction strategy is an important therapeutic doctrine in COPD patients, "said Sergei Babak, professor at the department, doctor of medical sciences, associate professor in the specialty of pulmonology.

The main risk factors for premature death of COPD patients are: tobacco smoking, alcohol, poor diet, low physical activity, stress. These factors can be tried to completely exclude, or it is possible to reduce their impact on health, says Sergei Babak. This requires, first of all, the rejection of tobacco smoking, vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus and physical activity.

Vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus can reduce deaths from COPD, as people with this disease are at increased risk of pulmonary bacterial infections (pneumonia). For vaccination, it is important to properly use a large arsenal of polysaccharide and conjugate vaccines.

Physical activity is a critical component of the prevention of exacerbations and deaths in COPD patients. When the inflammatory process in the lungs is just beginning, a person has shortness of breath, and he automatically reduces physical activity. Meanwhile, hypodynamics combined with COPD led to premature mortality in 70% of patients. And moderate activity - even at a level slightly higher than the usual household, increased the survival rate of patients by 90%.

In addition, according to the doctor, it is advisable to train patients in the correct use of modern combined bronchodilators, to conduct regular control of such therapy, and, if necessary, to prescribe oxygen therapy on time (in the development of respiratory failure) and modern restorative mucolytic therapy.

Control technologies

2023

Remote monitoring of the health of patients with COPD is launched in Moscow

At the end of June 2023, it became known about the launch on the Gostelemed platform of a service for remote monitoring of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The project is being implemented by Sechenov University. Read more here.

Wearable stethoscope out to control breathing in COPD patients

In late March 2023, Singapore-based Aevice Health announced the release of a wearable AeviceMD stethoscope to monitor respiratory health. The solution is aimed at patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - a common ailment that causes restriction of air flow in the respiratory tract and makes breathing difficult. Read more here.

Presented a simple device to reduce symptoms of obstructive pulmonary disease

On March 10, 2023, American researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine reported the development of a simple device that improves the symptoms of shortness of breath in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Read more here.

2022: Home lung control device for asthma and COPD released

At the end of October 2022, the medical startup Aluna released a home device to monitor lung function in asthma and COPD. The device is easy to use, the patient is required to blow into it daily, and the developers suggest that the technology will be similar to the blood glucose tests that diabetic patients use to track their condition. More. here