Chronic lung disease needs attention

Friday November 20th, 2009

Experts on lung disease published a new book on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to mark World COPD Day this week.

The condition is a chronic lung disease with a high mortality rate - over three million people in 2005. About 210 million people worldwide suffer from COPD. It is currently the fourth leading cause of death, but the World Health Organisation expects it to become the third by 2030.

But awareness of the condition is relatively low and it remains under-diagnosed and under-treated.

The new book, by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations, demands a changed approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Written as a comprehensive overview of COPD in Europe, "COPD in Europe: Sharing and Caring" highlights local successes and serious shortfalls in the way the disease is diagnosed and managed.

Specifically, these four key areas were identified: increased awareness among the public of COPD - how to prevent it and when to seek help; screening and treatment to be given a higher priority by policy makers; improved access to care for patients, and efforts to safeguard the respiratory health of future generations.

The book has received support from large drug firms including GlaxoSmithKline and health charities.

David Horton of the British Lung Foundation welcomed the publication.

He said: "Millions of people have COPD yet it is severely under diagnosed across UK and Europe. To tackle this, the British Lung Foundation has been organising free lung function testing events across the UK and campaigning to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease.

"We are eagerly awaiting the implementation of the new clinical strategy for COPD in England which is designed to address these inequalities in care and improve the lives of millions of people with COPD."

Tags: Europe | Respiratory | UK News | World Health

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