Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Difficulty breathing but not hopeless!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (EP) is a disease that causes devastation in the lungs, gradually making it difficult for patients to breathe. According to the World Health Organization, the EPP is one of the four leading diseases of global mortality, equivalent to HIV / AIDS.

More than 3 million people die from the EPP every year and more than 10% of people over 40 can get it.

Silently but dangerous

Research results of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy on the frequency of EPPs in rubber, glass, plastic and steel industry in Vietnam show that it is still higher than the above statistics. EPP is a progressive disease, which means the symptoms are mild at first, but are getting worse.

The first sign that patients can identify themselves is cough, sputum in the morning. At the age of 40, symptoms of dyspnea and chronic sputum, sometimes wheezing will appear. Smoking patients are often subjective, thinking that coughing is caused by smoking without knowing that they have been exposed to EP.

At age 50, the emergence of respiratory symptoms outbreaks. These episodes include a heavier cough, more severe sputum, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, and possibly fever. The disease gets worse every day.

Shortness of breath during exercise will appear clearly at the age of 60. At the beginning, the patient is tired when going quickly or going up a slope, up the stairs; later they no longer keep up with people of the same age. More severe, patients can only walk 100m to stop to breathe and finally eat, bathe, change clothes also have difficulty breathing.

Respiratory measurements, a simple diagnostic method can save lives
many patients with EPP (Photo: TTO)

Long-term lung disease will affect the heart (chronic heart disease). Patients will suffer from leg swelling, abdominal pain . Thus, the EPP is a silent disease progressing tens of years before the patient recognizes. Therefore, early detection of EP is key to preventing this serious and serious disease

Prof. Thomas Fetty, former director of the US National Respiratory Health Education Program, recommended: ' All patients with symptoms must do respiratory signs - a simple, painless test. The signed respiratory results will indicate who has the EP . '

Cause from where?

In Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital organized examination and counseling on the EPP for patients on 12-11-2006.

On November 26, 2006, the videoconference program between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi on the EPP will be implemented, to provide information and inquiries directly to the public.

80 - 85% of patients with EP is caused by tobacco. However, up to 15-20% of EP patients do not smoke. Patients in this group may be exposed to second-hand smoke (inhalation of second-hand smoke), due to exposure to toxic dust and fumes in the workplace (mines, welding smoke, etc.) or accommodation. ; may also be due to a patient's lack of a protective lung enzyme (a-1 antitrypsin). However, this is a rare form of disease, accounting for only about 1% of the total number of CHPs in the world literature.

The final cause may be due to prolonged asthma without proper treatment. The work of Master Cao Thi My Thuy conducted at University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City also showed an alarming number: 50% of patients with EPP treated here are caused by prolonged asthma, due to not being treated properly.

Thus, the first task in prevention and control of EP is to prevent risk factors. Workers working in air pollution environments due to smoke, dust and toxic particles must have an effective protective mask and be respected once a year. The house uses wood stoves, coal, especially coal, foul oil must be well ventilated. Particular attention must be paid to the effective treatment of asthma from the outset, asthma patients should be monitored with respiratory signs at least once a year to detect those who have been transferred to the EP early.

Can cure

Global Day for Prevention and Control of 2006 EP is organized with the slogan ' Shortness of breath can still be cured ' (Breathless but not hopeless - Breathless not helpless). Accordingly, the care of patients with EPP in the community is increasingly promoted. Instead of just treating in exacerbations with oxygen, ventilator, antibiotics are extremely expensive (1-1.5 million VND per day), but the effectiveness is low, today patients with EPP are cared for right in the period. Stable segment.

A typical EPP patient (Photo: TTO)

The first and most important part of any EP treatment regimen is smoking cessation! Quitting smoking helps slow the course of the disease. Because EPP is a chronic disease, patients must be monitored for long-term treatment. Until now, no medicine has cured the EP. However, many drugs can reduce symptoms, improve strength and quality of life for patients, mainly inhalers, dose sprayers. Oral anti-inflammatory and bronchodilators are only used when the disease is severe. Since 2005, tiotropium bromide, a long-term, highly effective, selective bronchodilator has been available in Vietnam.

Respiratory infection is an important cause of the outbreak of EP. People with EPI should get a flu shot once a year, and get it every three years. A full rehabilitation program, including education, advocacy, psychosocial support and instructions on how to practice breathing . will help patients breathe easier!

Assoc. Dr. LE THI TUYET LAN (University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City)