BMJ Best Practice Podcast COPD - an update on diagnosis and management
Jul 1, 2022
In this insightful discussion, Dr. Hanna Sandelowsky, a general practitioner and senior researcher at Karolinska Institutet, delves into the complexities of COPD, pointing out its rising prevalence linked to smoking and aging. She clarifies the diagnostic challenges, including distinguishing COPD from asthma. Hanna emphasizes the importance of comprehensive management, covering non-pharmacological strategies like smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation, alongside pharmacological options. She also highlights the critical role of continuity in care for improved patient outcomes.
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COPD Is A Smoking-Related Inflammatory Disease
- COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease causing obstructed airflow, mainly from long-term exposure to cigarette smoke.
- Emphysema and chronic bronchitis usually coexist and increase risks like heart disease and lung cancer.
Follow A Three-Part Diagnostic Approach
- Diagnose COPD using risk history, typical symptoms, and confirmed persistent airflow obstruction on spirometry.
- Also perform six-minute walk tests, pulse oximetry, chest X-ray and blood tests when COPD is suspected.
Asthma–COPD Overlap Is Common And Tricky
- Differentiating asthma from COPD is often difficult because both are heterogeneous and can overlap.
- Reliable COPD biomarkers are limited, though blood eosinophil counts may guide treatment selection.