About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
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What is COPD?
A chronic and progressively worsening pulmonary disease, COPD is characterized by inflammation and damage to the lungs that obstructs the flow of air. It is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S.
COPD is actually a classification of 3 distinct but often overlapping pulmonary disorders: emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and severe, chronic asthma that never fully resolves. Each of these chronic entities causes obstruction of the airways and provokes a productive cough and shortness of breath, which is why they have come to be grouped together under the common name of COPD. They are also treated with the same medications.
While COPD results from the interplay of one’s genetic make-up and their exposure to noxious gases, dust and chemicals, the diagnosis of emphysema is most closely associated with a history of smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoke damages the small air sacs in the lungs (the alveoli), thereby decreasing the smoker’s overall lung capacity, leading to the coughing and shortness of breath of COPD.
Chronic bronchitis results when the bronchial tubes are irritated and inflamed, most often from long-term cigarette smoking, which leads to a persistent productive cough. The criterion for diagnosis is having a cough with mucus on most days for at least 3 months a year and 2 years in a row (without another cause).
Asthma results when the airways get inflamed with increased mucus production and bronchospasms that result in wheezing and coughing. Most asthmatics do not have COPD because their symptoms resolve with treatment. Those who go on to develop COPD have chronic airway inflammation that never fully goes away despite treatment.
What are the symptoms of COPD?
Because many patients are able to ignore a nagging cough or a little bit of shortness of breath, COPD is under-diagnosed and under-treated, which is unfortunate as early treatment can provide symptom relief and slow the advance of the disease. “It’s just my smoker’s hack” is the common refrain of denial.
Diagnosis is best made by performing a simple Pulmonary Function Test with a spirometer that measures a patient’s airflow and lung capacity. It is a simple and easy test that only requires breathing into a machine. Chest x-rays are useful to rule out other underlying diseases, and CT scans of the lungs can provide additional diagnostic data.
What treatments are available for COPD?
The mainstays of treatments are inhalers that help to decrease lung inflammation and bronchospasm. Short and long-acting bronchodilators, anticholinergics, and inhaled corticosteroids are all useful treatments, and come in a number of different combinations. For the most severe cases, lung surgery or continuous oxygen therapy is required.
What are the research opportunities for someone with COPD?
At Rochester Clinical Research, we routinely perform clinical trials on new and promising therapies for COPD. One of the benefits of being enrolled in a COPD study is to have close monitoring of your lung function through regular pulmonary testing at our office. We also perform clinical studies on therapies to help people to quit smoking.
For more information on COPD:
Mayo Clinic: COPD
WebMD: COPD
COPD Foundation
The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute
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Rochester Clinical Research performs clinical research trials and studies for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We rapidly recruit and screen quality volunteers to participate in clinical studies, and we maintain a large database of volunteers. Study volunteers receive free study-related medical care, investigational medicines, and a monetary stipend to compensate for their time and travel. RCR studies include therapeutic areas and drug categories such as weight loss, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, flu vaccines, and smoking cessation. Our state-of-the-art medical office facility is staffed by highly qualified, caring physicians, investigators, and nurses. RCR is located in Rochester NY and serves the Finger Lakes region of New York. RCR is a WBENC-Certified Women's Business Enterprise.
