FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 23, 2017 • SENIOR LIVING • THE QUEENS COURIER 33
senior living
Veterans fought for freedom; struggle with lung health
Aft er serving their country, many veterans
face long-term health challenges but
sometimes symptoms may not appear for
decades and aren’t quickly recognized,
aggravating their condition. Th e lung disease
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) is an example that’s disproportionately
aff ecting veterans. COPD is
now the fourth most common diagnosis
among veterans. Approximately 15 percent
of the U.S. Department of Veterans
Aff airs heath care users are aff ected with
COPD. Veterans are also three times
more likely than civilians to develop the
respiratory condition.
COPD is a respiratory disease that
makes breathing diffi cult. Tightness in
the chest, breathlessness and persistent
cough are the hallmark symptoms, but
many people with COPD mistake a feeling
of breathlessness as just a sign of
aging, and oft en symptoms increase over
a period of years. As many as 80 percent
of people with COPD in the general population
have moderate to severe COPD by
the time they are diagnosed.
Recent studies have found there
has been an uptick in respiratory diseases,
including COPD among veterans,
especially those serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan. However, the disease goes
largely unrecognized by caregivers and
healthcare providers alike, according to
a study by the Association of Military
Surgeons of the U.S.
One of the key aspects of managing
COPD is recognizing symptoms early and
taking a proactive approach with your
healthcare professional. “While COPD
aff ects veterans disproportionately, it is a
treatable condition,” says Dr. Jay Peters,
FCCP, CHEST Foundation Leader. “We
encourage veterans to keep a list of questions
and observations about their breathing
to bring up with their physician,
which will aid in the development of a
treatment plan.”
Due to the increased risk for veterans,
Dr. David Mannino, Pulmonologist
and Medical Expert at GSK, recommends
they make it a point to talk to their doctor
when they are having trouble with their
breathing.
What is COPD?
COPD is a chronic lung disease brought
on by occupational dust or chemicals,
smoking or secondhand smoke, and
exposure to air pollution. In some cases,
people develop COPD due to genetic
factors passed down through families.
COPD includes two lung problems:
• Chronic bronchitis - coughing and
mucous production due to infl ammation
of the airways over a period of several
years
• Emphysema - damage to air sacs in
the lungs or collapse of the miniscule
breathing pathways in the lungs
For a full list of symptoms and to learn
more about COPD, visit www.copd.com.
Courtesy BPT
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