Do not shove breathlessness to age

Respiratory distress with low physical stress does not push for age

05/29/2013

People who suffer from shortness of breath at low exercise levels should not take the complaints lightly. Symptoms of this kind are less likely to be due to age, but may rather point to a serious illness: smokers are primarily affected by the so-called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Shortness of breath with little physical activity may indicate lung disease
If long-term smokers suffer from shortness of breath and smoker's cough with sputum, they should consult a pulmonologist, as these symptoms may indicate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Since the therapy is solely to stop the progression of the disease and to improve the quality of life of patients, the treatment should start as early as possible.

„Anyone who is out of breath even with little effort and has the feeling that they can not breathe properly should not dismiss this as a normal sign of aging. Because the COPD developed are slow, progress untreated but incessantly“, the pulmonologist, Professor dr. Michael Pfeifer at an international advanced training congress of the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists. „But the downward spiral can be stopped by exercise and the early inhalation of medication.“

Fight with movement for breathlessness
In the over-40s group, six percent of men and three percent of women in Germany are affected by COPD. The life-threatening lung disease manifests itself first by shortness of breath during physical activity and cough with expectoration. In most patients, the complaints occur more often in the morning. Since normal breathing becomes an exercise for the body, sufferers are often tired and exhausted and move very little. The strain ends in a vicious circle in which the lack of exercise makes the leg and arm muscles even weaker and leads to further restrictions in performance. Other symptoms such as depression and anxiety may be added. Many COPD patients also suffer from cardiovascular disease.

„People with COPD are out of breath even with small efforts. It can get so bad that someone can only get out of the chair with difficulty and take a few steps to the bathroom. Physical training, even if it is just a regular walk, demonstrably improves performance. And no matter how severe the disease is, physical activity can always be improved by exercise“, reported Pfeifer. In addition, therapy depends on the stage of the disease, especially inhalable drugs. Furthermore, oxygen administration or respiration may be necessary. As a last resort, lung transplantation may be considered. (Ag)

Picture: pepsprog