Smoker’s cough: Deadly lack of interest in COPD leads to an early death

Smoker’s cough is all too often trivialised

31. May is world tobacco day. To warn this occasion, an Austrian University before a deadly disease, COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). An investigation revealed that the severity of lung disease plays in the public perception, even though COPD is the third leading cause of death is now a worldwide cause. The lack of awareness has fatal consequences, warn the experts.

Researchers at the Medical University of Innsbruck, have analysed, what is the interest of the Public to the serious lung disease COPD prevails. The researchers found that the General awareness about the danger of the disease is very low, although the incidence rates and associated deaths for many years in the height fast. Smoker’s cough is much downplayed to often, warn doctors. They presented their results recently in the “European Respiratory Journal”.

COPD: The Phantom is among the most common deaths

The Top Ten of the world’s most common causes of death are investigated by the world health organization, WHO, at regular intervals. Consequently coronary heart diseases are on the first place, strokes to the second, and COPD is already the third place. In spite of the massive distribution and the associated risk of mortality, the disease remains too often unknown and unrecognized.

Third place as a cause of death – place, eight in the public interest

The Team of the University of Innsbruck, wanted to find out, it is in the public interest, to the third most common cause of death. For this purpose, the researchers investigated the frequency of Google queries for the ten most common causes of death that were made within the years 2004 to 2018. The result reflects the lack of General interest: The analysis result was most often to Diabetes, stroke, and breast cancer. COPD took only a meagre eighth place in the search priority. Add to that the amount of search queries have changed between the years 2004 to 2018, in terms of COPD barely. The amount of deaths had increased in the same period by 60 percent.

One in Ten is affected – the interest still low

“COPD is anchored in the minds of the people far too little,” stresses specialist Alex Pizzini from the research group in a press release. COPD will much less often, than people fall ill. This is contrary to the current numbers of new cases. In Austria, every Tenth suffer in the meantime, the serious pulmonary disease. In the case of persons over 70 years, every Fourth was affected, warns of the lungs expert.

Deadly Indifference

The Doctors stress that it is precisely this lack of interest makes the disease so dangerous. Because COPD is a disease of systemic inflammation with numerous accompanying. The disease is associated with a massively increased risk for heart attack, heart weakness (heart failure) and stroke. It can also occur in COPD are sudden exacerbations (exacerbations), which are the leading Symptoms sputum, cough, and shortness of breath worsen suddenly and an instant recording in the intensive care unit necessary. About ten percent of those Affected, where such exacerbations occur, die, emphasize the specialists.

COPD symptoms are too often put down

“With a higher consciousness and a timely diagnosis could, however, eliminated risk factors such as Smoking, exacerbations are prevented and the accompanying and secondary diseases to be treated accordingly,” explains the Team at the University of Innsbruck. Over 90% of those Affected with COPD have smoked over a long time or are still currently Smoking. Just among the smokers and non-smokers conquer a lack of awareness. Significant symptoms such as increased mucus production and chronic cough are often ignored and played down.

COPD can be treated – at best at an early stage

“Against the Background of the lack of Disease awareness will minimize the smoker’s cough, all too often,” emphasizes the study Director Ivan Tancevski. Smoking, Passive Smoking, standing in the first place, the risk factors for COPD. Increased formation of mucus and chronic cough should be especially for smokers is reason enough to leave your Airways and the lung to investigate. For more information: smoke-read pulmonary (COPD) – symptoms, causes, therapy. (vb)