Vim & Vigor - Summer 2019 - CH - 39

TRUE OR FALSE:

COPD is rare.

FALSE. COPD is far more common than a lot of people realize,
says Jamie Sullivan, vice president of
public policy and outcomes at the
COPD Foundation. COPD is the
fourth leading cause of death in the
country, according to 2016 figures
from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. About
6.4 percent of Americans say they've
been told they have COPD, and
experts note that a significant number of people who have the disease
have not been diagnosed.

TRUE OR FALSE:

Only smokers get COPD.

FALSE. About 90 percent of
people with COPD have smoked.
But environmental pollutants,
including secondhand smoke, air
pollution and chemicals, can contribute to a person's risk, and some
people inherit a genetic risk.
"Many people associate COPD
only with smoking," Sullivan says.
That stigma, she says, can affect
whether people with the disease
feel empowered versus ashamed,
how doctors talk about COPD, and
even policies and funding.

TRUE OR FALSE:

underdiagnosed and undertreated,
so it's important that they advocate
for themselves and talk to their
doctors about their risks and any
symptoms they notice.

TRUE OR FALSE:

You can't exercise
with COPD.

FALSE. Although it seems
like breathing challenges would
prevent a person from exercising,
it's important to keep moving.
Pulmonary rehabilitation programs
are designed to help people exercise safely, gain education and build
their lung function.
"I cannot emphasize this enough,"
Williams says. "If you have pulmonary
rehab in your area, have your doctor refer you. It is life-changing. It is
the single best tool that people with
COPD can have in their toolbox."

TRUE OR FALSE:

There is no cure for COPD.

TRUE. COPD has no known
cure, but treatments can help people breathe easier and improve their
quality of life. In addition to pulmonary rehab, medications or supplemental oxygen may help. And some
people are candidates for lung surgery to improve their breathing. ■

Both men and women
get COPD.

TRUE. COPD was once thought
of as a man's disease. But a 2013
report from the American Lung
Association noted that women are
37 percent more likely than men to
have COPD. Women are also more
likely to die of the disease. The
report points out that women are

LUNG
SCREENING
SAVES LIVES
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer for men
and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. An estimated 200,000 people
are diagnosed with lung cancer each year
and some 150,000 die.
"Many patients are symptomatic when
diagnosed," says cardiothoracic surgeon
Jason Frazier, MD, on staff at the hospitals of
Community Healthcare System. "They have
pain in their arm, pain in their chest, or they
have a bloody cough. Many times, when a
patient presents with symptoms of lung cancer, the disease is advanced."
People who receive a low-dose CT scan
have a 20 percent lower chance of dying
from lung cancer, according to National Lung
Screening Trial recommendations. Lung cancer screenings are recommended for heavy
smokers or those who have the following risk
factors: between 55 and 77 years of age; current or former smokers who have quit within
the past 15 years; have at least a 30 pack-year
smoking history (one pack a day for 30 years
or two packs a day for 15 years, etc.).
"Screening substantially reduces the risk
of death from lung cancer," Frazier says. "We
are able to identify people with early stage
lung cancer and bring them to the operating room or whatever type of treatment we
need to give them and potentially cure them
of disease."
A physician order is required for lung
screening. Patients should discuss screening
with their primary care physician.

CALL

Schedule a Screening
The hospitals of Community Healthcare System-Community Hospital, Munster,
St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago, and St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart-offer
lung screenings at various locations. Call 800-809-9828 to schedule.

SUMME R 2019

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2019 - CH

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