ABSTRACT
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for chronic
obstructive bronchitis and emphysema, has long been labeled as a disease that is
“irreversible” with little to offer therapeutically to alter the course of the disease.
Accordingly, little interest has existed to identify this disease, which may be
debilitating, earlier in its course. But the tone in the 21st century is now changed to
one of optimism! COPD is now defined by two major worldwide Clinical Practice
Guidelines (CPGs) (1-3) as a “partially reversible” disease process with several
therapeutic interventions available, non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic, which
improve the quality of life and activities of daily living of our patients with this disease.
In the past, COPD was usually not identified until it was in its advanced stages, when
those afflicted finally acknowledged their symptoms and sought medical care, or when
clinicians recognized COPD after patients presented with this disease’s associated
comorbidities: e.g., coronary disease, stroke, lung cancer, osteoporosis, depression,
and anxiety.
