April 4, 2001
The first international guidelines for the diagnosis,
management, and prevention of Chronic Obstructive Lung
Disease (COPD) — currently the fourth leading cause of
death in the US and worldwide — were released today by an
international team of scientists from the Global Initiative
for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). The
GOLD
Workshop Report, which provides evidence-based
recommendations for the clinical management of COPD, is the
first step in an international effort to boost awareness of
COPD and improve the way it is treated. GOLD was created
by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at
the National Institutes of Health and the World Health
Organization.
According to NHLBI Director Claude Lenfant, MD, "COPD has
become a major public health problem worldwide. We hope
this report will increase worldwide awareness of COPD and
help the millions of people who suffer from this disease."
COPD, a term used to describe chronic bronchitis and
emphysema, is a slowly progressive airways disease
characterized by a gradual loss of lung function. In the
US, it is caused primarily by cigarette smoking. There is
no known cure, but smoking cessation can slow disease
progression.
COPD has been on the increase in the US, and in 1996, an
estimated 16 million Americans had COPD. The number of
deaths attributed to COPD also has increased substantially
in the past 40 years — approximately 100,000 men and women
per year in the US alone. The highest rate of increase in
deaths has been seen in white women.
It is expected that by 2020, COPD will rank as the third
leading cause of death, surpassing stroke. The annual cost
of COPD to the US economy is estimated at nearly $30.4
billion.
The GOLD Workshop Report, which was reviewed extensively by medical
societies in more than 100 countries, emphasizes the need for
clinicians and patients to recognize cough and sputum
production as early signs of possible COPD and calls for
the use of spirometry, to
confirm the diagnosis. It also provides a general scheme
for classifying COPD by severity to help clinicians
determine how best to manage the condition. Practical
recommendations for reducing risk factors and for managing
both stable COPD and exacerbations also are provided.
Said Lenfant, "A concerted effort by government officials,
Health-care workers, biomedical researchers, industry, and
patients throughout the world is required to improve the
way COPD is diagnosed and managed and to increase research
into improved treatments and ultimately a cure. This effort
has begun with the launch of the GOLD Initiative today."
Copies of the GOLD Workshop Report and other information on
COPD are available on the NHLBI Web Site at
www.nhlbi.nih.gov.