COPD smoking is the leading cause of incurable lung disease

Chronic lung disease: Smoking is responsible for 90 percent of COPD cases

Health experts say that up to five million people in Germany suffer from COPD. Incurable lung disease is the number three cause of death worldwide. Despite the breathing problems associated with the condition, patients should keep moving and not abstain from exercise.

Up to five million Germans suffer from COPD

According to the German Respiratory League, three to five million people in Germany alone suffer from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). According to health experts, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also commonly known as smoker's cough, is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Although non-smokers are partly affected by this, 90 percent of all cases in this country are quite clearly the main cause: smoking.

Smoking is responsible for 90 percent of COPD cases in Germany. The chronic lung disease is not curable. Patients should not give up exercise. (Image: Ljupco Smokovski / fotolia.com)

Heavy lung disease is not curable

Many patients often do not know for a long time about their severe lung disease. It starts slowly.

The most important signs are sputum, coughing and shortness of breath ("AHA" symptoms), the latter often occurring initially only during physical exertion, but later also during rest.

According to medical experts, the symptoms differ according to the severity of the disease. In particularly bad cases, sufferers may experience respiratory distress even with slight effort and may need to be supplied with oxygen.

In the course of time, cardiovascular diseases may be added to the patients due to the poorer oxygenation of the body.

The disease is incurable. This is pointed out by Prof. Hubert Wirtz, Head of the Department of Pulmonology at the University Hospital Leipzig (UKL) on the occasion of the World COPD Day on 15 November.

"COPD shortens life expectancy. It is not curable, "the expert said in a statement.

Air shortage even with light activities

According to Prof. Wirtz, although the number of smokers in the so-called industrialized countries is decreasing slightly, the number of COPD cases is still rising.

Diseases narrow the airways, lung tissue is destroyed. Slime is increasingly produced in the bronchial tubes, affected people have to cough heavily and have expectoration.

The lung suffers a structural loss. Instead of many small alveoli there are bigger bubbles. So the necessary surface for the guest exchange is lost. Affected people first notice it when climbing or climbing a bike.

"Our lungs have a lot of reserves. Their capacity ranges from sitting still to marathoning, "explains the UKL pulmonologist," but if the disease wipes out excess capacity, it can lead to shortage of light even in light activities. "

The problem: "What is lost in the structure of the lungs is gone. COPD is not curable, but progressive. You can only try to slow down the loss, "emphasizes Prof. Wirtz.

More lung sports groups are needed

Because the elasticity of the organ has been lost, the airways are narrowed. So when exhaling much air in the thorax, so caught in the chest, too little new air can be inhaled.

When loaded, this condition is exacerbated. Medicines can at least help to relieve the cramps and ensure better emptying of the lungs.

Very important: COPD patients still have to keep moving, says the expert: "Anyone who suffers from COPD, must maintain physical stress in any case, otherwise it is getting worse."

According to Wirtz, this significance has only been recognized in recent years. "It would take more lung sports groups, even as a rehabilitation measure," he says, "there are too few in Germany, and they are too little adapted to the needs of COPD patients."

And the Leipzig pulmonologist emphasizes another aspect of treatment: "Patients must be examined more broadly than just in the lungs, because they often have comorbidities such as osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease as well as depression. You have to see the whole person, "says Prof. Wirtz. (Ad)