WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Expressing a sense of urgency, the U.S. COPD Coalition has convened experts from more than 30 organizations representing doctors, patients and government agencies to adopt an agenda with new strategies to tackle the dangerously low rates of diagnosis in COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
COPD is a devastating lung disease that progressively robs a person of the capability to breathe. The World Health Organization estimates that COPD kills more than 2.75 million people each year. Worldwide it ranks as the sixth leading cause of death; fourth in the U.S.
"Make no mistake about it, this is a big concern," said Dr. Sonia Buist of Oregon Health Sciences University and co-chair of the National COPD Conference. "Millions of people struggle with the effects of COPD on a daily basis, but it remains among the most under-diagnosed and under-treated of the world's major killers.
"COPD is the only one of the top five fatal illnesses on the rise. We have to get these people to their doctors and we have to be sure the physicians are prepared to make an accurate diagnosis."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 24 million Americans suffer from COPD but less than half have been diagnosed with the lung disease. Exposure to certain risk factors -- particularly smoking -- causes COPD. Symptoms of the disease, which include cough and shortness of breath, often prevent patients from performing everyday activities such as walking even short distances. The earlier COPD is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis for the patient. A simple breathing test, called spirometry, can confirm the diagnosis.
According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), COPD was responsible for 8 million physician office and hospital outpatient visits, 1.5 million emergency department visits, 726,000 hospitalizations and 119,000 deaths in 2000. Additionally, the COPD death rate for women more than doubled between 1980 and 2000, surpassing for the first time the number of men dying from the disease. In fact, from 1979 to 1999, the number of women dying from COPD rose by nearly 350 percent. COPD is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and disability in the United States and incidence of the disease continues to rise.
The goal of this National COPD Conference is to establish an agenda of effective communication so that each of these organizations that comprise the U.S. COPD Coalition can immediately disseminate this to each of their respective patient and physician constituencies. This effort will help educate Americans about the causes of COPD, its signs and symptoms of the deadly lung disease, its incidence and its economic impact in America.
"If successful, our new agenda for COPD communication will decrease the number of undiagnosed Americans, increase those being treated, and reduce the rate of death and disability resulting from this disease," said Dr. William Bailey of the University of Alabama School of Medicine and co-chair of the National COPD Conference. "This conference represents a real chance to increase awareness of this serious and growing medical problem, making a positive impact on millions of people's lives here in America."
In recognition of the need for public awareness of COPD, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed separate resolutions in 2003 supporting the goals and ideals of a COPD Awareness Month. The White House supports the goal of the US COPD Coalition in promoting November as COPD Awareness Month - reducing death and disability through earlier diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
"The U.S. COPD Coalition has the support of Congress and the President in generating awareness for this disease," said Senator Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, a speaker at the conference. "We will be attending the conference to determine how we can best support the Coalition and its efforts to educate Americans about COPD."
Other major world killers -- such as cardiovascular disease -- are declining because of successful efforts to promote early diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Yet COPD is increasing in many countries, including the United States.
THE COALITION
The U.S. COPD Coalition is a partnership of more than 30 major professional, government, academic and patient organizations committed to improving COPD diagnosis, care, and prevention. The Coalition is dedicated to decreasing the medical, economic and social burden of COPD through programs of early detection, effective management and prevention. Further information on COPD, the U.S. COPD Coalition and COPD Awareness Month is available at http://www.uscopd.com/ .
U.S. COPD CoalitionCONTACT: Matt Nagel or John Ruane of Ruane Communications, Inc.,+1-678-585-0176, for U.S. COPD Coalition
Web site: http://www.uscopd.com/
