Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Learn about COPD and available treatment options
The impact of COPD
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an umbrella term for a group of progressive lung diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It affects approximately 251 million people globally,1 and is the fourth leading cause of death.2 Its prevalence is also a financial strain on the healthcare system, incurring about $26 billion in Medicare costs each year on hospital readmissions alone.3
Non-invasive ventilation for COPD
While there is no cure for COPD, treatment options such as non-invasive ventilation (NIV) can help slow its progression and improve patient quality of life. NIV works to improve blood gas exchange in the patient’s lungs and support the work of breathing when the ventilatory muscles can’t do this effectively. Because it’s non-invasive, NIV achieves these two goals without the adverse effects of invasive ventilation such as patient discomfort, the loss of airway defense mechanisms and risks of infection.4 For COPD patients, studies have shown:
- NIV therapy reduces the risk of death in COPD patients by 76%5 in one year
- Patients who use NIV at home after hospitalizations have lower readmission rates6
- When NIV is added to pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure, it may lead to improvements in quality of life, functional status and gas exchange7
References:
- Source: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” WHO, Dec 1, 2017, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd).
- Source: “Projections of mortality and causes of death, 2016 to 2060,” WHO, accessed Jan 19, 2018, https://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/projections/en/.
- Source: Rau J Kaiser Health News 2014.
- Source: Rai SP et al. MJAFI 2004.
- Source: Kohnlein T et al. Lancet Respir Med 2014.
- Source: Galli JA et al. Respir Med 2014.
- Source: Duiverman ML et al. Thorax 2008.