Currently, 14 to 15 percent of patients who visit pulmonary clinics have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common lung disease that reduces airflow and causes respiratory problems.
This was stated by pulmonologist Plutarco Arias, president of the Dominican Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery, citing data from the professional entity’s platform. The expert calls on all patients with COPD to be immunized against vaccine-preventable viral and bacterial infections.
“Currently, 14-15% of patients attending pulmonary consultations in the Dominican Republic have COPD, a figure taken from a report on the platform of the current board of directors of the Dominican Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery,” he noted. Arias Speaking on the topic during the recent celebration of World COPD Day, Dr.
He said that in the face of these evils, he appealed to all people not to continue to be exposed to first-hand, second-hand or third-hand tobacco smoke.
He explained that while treatments for these diseases are abundant, if the underlying causes are not eliminated, the drugs will be more expensive and the treatments less effective.
COPD can reduce airflow and cause breathing problems, sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
In line with the current SDNCT platform, Dr. Arias issued a press statement titled “COPD in the Dominican Republic.” It states that according to the Global Initiative on Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD 2023), it is defined as “a heterogeneous lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, dyspnea, (cough, sputum production and/or exacerbation), bronchiolitis) and/or alveoli (emphysema) leading to persistent and often (but not always) progressive airflow obstruction.” However, he added, from what I have seen over the years From his perspective, “I agree that this is a heterogeneous disease, and I also view it as a multi-system disease that mainly affects the lungs, but also affects the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and nervous system.”
He added that it is preventable and treatable, given that its biggest risk factors are tobacco, passive exposure, cooking with wood smoke and anything involving air pollution.
This suggests that the physical and radiological observable features of these patients are chronic bronchitis with cough and sputum production for more than three months.
or for two consecutive years or more.
He mentioned that among the symptoms of chronic bronchitis, symptoms such as cough, dyspnea, and white phlegm will appear in the early stage. These symptoms are related to dyspnea during exertion, and gradually develop over time, causing patients to have difficulty breathing.
This suggests that as exposure to tobacco smoke increases, their clinical condition worsens, leading to right heart enlargement, vascular congestion and hepatomegaly, as well as limb edema.