joint strategic needs assessment foundation profile - JSNA

Interative Hull Atlas: www.hullpublichealth.org/Pages/hull_atlas.htm More information: www.jsnaonline.org and www.hullpublichealth.org
10.5.3 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
10.5.3.1 Definition
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the general name for a collection of
diseases which affect the lungs, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic
obstructive airways disease (NHS Choices 2008). This corresponds broadly to the
codes used to define COPD for the general practice registers as well as the International
Classification of Diseases Version 10 (ICD 10) codes and mortality information provided
by the Compendium. Unless otherwise stated this section examines bronchitis,
emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined (see section
13.4.5 on page 811 for ICD codes).
10.5.3.2 Risk Factors
NHS Choices provide some background information on COPD as follows: “COPD is the
general name for a collection of diseases which affect the lungs, including chronic
bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. Often people with
COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. People with COPD have trouble
breathing in and out (airflow obstruction) and their lungs become inflamed due to
irritation (usually by cigarette smoke).
Over many years the inflammation leads to permanent changes in the lung. These
changes cause airflow obstruction, where the flow of air into and out of the body is
impaired. The airflow is reduced because the walls of the airways get thicker in
response to the inflammation and more mucus is produced. Damage to the delicate
walls of the air sacs in the lungs means the lungs lose their normal elasticity, and it
becomes much harder work to breathe, especially on exertion. These changes in the
lungs lead to the symptoms of COPD: breathlessness, cough and phlegm.
Although any damage that has already occurred to the lungs cannot be reversed, it is
possible to prevent COPD from developing or getting worse by making lifestyle
changes.” (NHS Choices 2008)
The following list of risk factors is taken from this same web page from NHS Choices
which also provides information on some of the risk factors for COPD (NHS Choices,
2008). People who smoke are much more likely to develop COPD with smoking
causing four out of every five cases of COPD. It is estimated that between 10% and
25% of smokers develop COPD with about three in every 20 people who smoke 20
cigarettes a day developing COPD if they continue to smoke and this rises to one in four
smokers for those who smoke 40 or more cigarettes a day. Passive smoking can also
increase the risk of COPD. Exposure to certain types of dust and chemicals at work
(such as grains, isocyanates, cadmium and coal) have also been implicated in the
development of COPD even in people who don‟t smoke. The risk of COPD is increased
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Foundation Profile – Hull Health Profile: Release 3. March 2011. 612