Critical and Long Term Ailments-COPD/Respiratory Emergencies

What you'll learn

Course overview

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe airflow obstruction that is associated mainly with emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD has affected tens of millions of Americans. One current estimate is that 6.5 million patients have been diagnosed with some form of COPD and as many as 15.2 million more have been left undiagnosed.1 Government data based on a 1998 prevalence survey suggested that three million Americans have been diagnosed with emphysema and nine million have been affected by chronic bronchitis.2 In 1998, COPD was the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 112,000 deaths.3 Surprisingly little has been learned about COPD. Studies of the disease burden on patients with COPD have been scarce, and the social and healthcare costs of the disease have not been well quantified. As a result, there have been limited data about COPD symptoms and severity, disability or activity limitations, lifestyle impact, social and psychosocial consequences, healthcare utilization, and patterns of treatment.