Although COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, many Americans are not familiar with this acronym. Standing for “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,” COPD is characterized by chronic airflow limitation in the lungs. Most often a combination of two diseases—chronic bronchitis and emphysema—this umbrella term also includes diseases such as chronic asthma and severe bronchiectasis.
Perhaps the reason COPD is not a household term is that it is under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed. While more than 12 million American carry the diagnosis of COPD, another 12 million likely have the disease and aren’t aware of it, according to the Centers for Disease Control. “This is a disease that comes on slowly. A person is often short of breath and she thinks, ‘I’m out of shape,’” says Gretchen Lawrence, a respiratory therapist and program associate for the National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP). “People think shortness of breath is normal as you get older, but it is not. People ignore [the symptoms], it’s underappreciated, and doctors and other health care professionals often do not ask the right questions.”
This article continues at Seniors with COPD