The agenda of 20 November 2024 will through various experts, highlight the value of a collaborative approach in the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and will outline the COPD Foundation’s offering to patients, carers and healthcare providers. World COPD Day is a global initiative run by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD, which is commemorated annually to raise awareness and present new knowledge and novel therapeutic strategies for COPD, worldwide. The theme of World COPD Day in 2024 is to ‘Know your lung function’. Its aim is to highlight the importance of measuring lung function, also known as spirometry, an important tool for not only diagnosing COPD, but determining its severity.

 

A spirometry test measures how well your lungs are working. It’s a simple and painless test that can help diagnose COPD. Your doctor may order additional tests to get a more complete picture of how your lungs are functioning. COPD is currently one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is highly prevalent in the general population, particularly in low resource countries. It is estimated that three million people die each year due to COPD, globally. Lung function is not only a predictor of lung health, but a predictor of our overall health.

​​

In South Africa, the latest Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) report of 2023/2024 states the following: “The CMS conducted a comprehensive study between 2014 and 2022 to assess the prevalence of chronic conditions among medical scheme beneficiaries. The study found that chronic respiratory ailments, notably asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stand out as significant health burdens that align with global trends. What does Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) mean in simple terms? Chronic This means that the disease lasts a long time and is always present.

 

While the symptoms may take years to develop and the severity may differ at times, there is still much you can do to slow the progress of the disease. Obstructive The ability to move air in and out of your lungs is blocked or obstructed. This is caused by swelling and extra mucus in the tubes of the lungs (airways) which carry air in and out. Pulmonary This means that the disease is located in your lungs. Disease Your lungs have some damage. But even though a cure hasn’t been found yet, your symptoms can be treated.

 

If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have COPD, and should visit your doctor to get assessed:

• Long-term exposure to air pollution (including smoke, dust, fumes and chemicals)

• Chronic coughing with or without sputum

• Wheezing

• Shortness of breath

• An inability to keep up with people of your own age

​

Measuring lung function throughout life by spirometry can provide opportunities for early diagnosis and prompt therapeutic interventions. A person may have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but not notice symptoms until it has progressed. This is why it’s important to ask your doctor about testing for COPD if you are a current or former smoker, have been exposed to harmful lung irritants for a long period of time, or have a history of COPD in your family. The extent of your COPD is classified into 4 different stages that are defined by your symptoms and the results of your spirometry test. In order to determine what stage of COPD you are in, your doctor based on your symptoms, may conduct one or more lung function tests. The stages of the disease will help your doctor in deciding which treatment plan is right for you.

​

Although there is no current cure for COPD, actions can be taken to prevent COPD and promote lung health in those who are not yet affected by the disease, whilst symptoms can be treated to reduce the burden of COPD and improve the quality of life in patients already living with COPD. 

​

The COPD Foundation aims to empower patients, carers and healthcare providers of patients who live with COPD, to improve the quality of life and health outcomes for these patients. Please join the community forums that will be hosted by the COPD Foundation, which will include topics related to the prevention of COPD, its diagnosis and management and striving for better health whilst living with COPD.

​

We look forward to engaging with you on 20 November 2024, World COPD Day, as we launch the COPD Foundation, and beyond.

​

For more information on World COPD Day and the launch of the COPD Foundation in South Africa, please contact one of the following email addresses:

• tobeka@copd.co.za

• karin@copd.co.za

• claire@copd.co.za

​

References:​

​​