Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Analysis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory lung diseases in the world. It has been suggested that COPD cases represent 95% among all cases of chronic lower lung diseases. COPD is usually represented as several lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and refractory asthma. Since COPD is a chronic disease, it may have an effect on patients especially on their health related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL is defined as the discernments of mental health and physical health of the patient including the functional status, socioeconomic status, social support, health risks and conditions. In fact, measuring HRQoL is important to determine the impact of health on the overall quality of
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It is known to play an important role in the mortality and morbidity rates in COPD patients at all types of income levels in different countries 1. In 2015, the Global Initiative of Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) updated the definition of COPD as “a common preventable and treatable disease, is characterized by persistent airflow limitation that usually is progressive and associated with enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles or gases. Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients” 2. Therefore, the progressive obstruction to the airflow in the lung is caused by this inflammation. In fact, most of lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis (CB), and refractory asthma are represented as COPD 3. 95% of all chronic lower lung cases are COPD cases 4. In 2001, COPD was known to be the fifth leading cause of death in major developed countries 1. In addition, it was estimated that the disease would emerge to be the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2020 5. However, since 2008 it is the third leading cause of death in the United States 4. The increase in COPD is mostly linked to the increase of life expectancy as well as the increase of toxic gases exposure such as tobacco smoking
It is known to play an important role in the mortality and morbidity rates in COPD patients at all types of income levels in different countries 1. In 2015, the Global Initiative of Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) updated the definition of COPD as “a common preventable and treatable disease, is characterized by persistent airflow limitation that usually is progressive and associated with enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles or gases. Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients” 2. Therefore, the progressive obstruction to the airflow in the lung is caused by this inflammation. In fact, most of lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis (CB), and refractory asthma are represented as COPD 3. 95% of all chronic lower lung cases are COPD cases 4. In 2001, COPD was known to be the fifth leading cause of death in major developed countries 1. In addition, it was estimated that the disease would emerge to be the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2020 5. However, since 2008 it is the third leading cause of death in the United States 4. The increase in COPD is mostly linked to the increase of life expectancy as well as the increase of toxic gases exposure such as tobacco smoking