“Recognizing and Treating COPD in Older Adults," the latest issue of the What’s Hot newsletter from The Gerontological Society of America, addresses what is known about the prevalence, incidence, and impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults.
Despite high incidence of COPD — as many as 30 million Americans are affected — many patients are not diagnosed, according to the publication. This occurs for multiple reasons, including poor awareness of symptoms among patients and providers, low suspicion of disease, and inadequate reimbursement for diagnostic tests.
Once diagnosed, patients face further challenges with a multitude of treatment options and devices, inadequate patient education to manage their condition, exacerbations, and disparate perceptions between patients and providers of what is most important to address in treatment plans.
“This publication provides insight on improving our understanding of COPD, enhancing the tools available to health care professionals in diagnosing and managing the illness, and raising awareness of the impact of COPD in older adults,” said Barbara Yawn, MD, MSc, who served on the advisory board that oversaw the new What’s Hot.
COPD is more common in older adults, but underdiagnosis may occur because they think that shortness of breath or other symptoms are a normal sign of aging, and do not mention these symptoms to their health care providers.
As I clear my throat and tentatively put my hand up. It took an FEV1 of just 37% before I was diagnosed.
We had a dear sadly now departed member who had no symptoms until her lung function was 22%, so you aren't alone. I was diagnosed very early only coz I had asthma and it was picked up on my annual check. Otherwise I would have just put it down to smoking and age.
Diagnosing younger patients with a decline in lung function will be an easier way, but it will open a pandora's box
The number will be extraordinarily large. one study from Asia found that almost 1/3rd of the population with age less than 25 has reduced lung function. That is almost 1 billion people and most of them are asymptomatic. what intervention to offer them?
Younger patients are not happy with just not having SOB but they want their normal life back.
I was fortunate to be diagnosed at a high moderate stage after taking a cable car to the top of Mount Teide in Tenerife and feeling so distressed I had to take the next cable car down. I recovered as soon as I left 3500 metres and returned to 3000 metres. Visiting Machu Picchu is no longer on my bucket list.
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Could it be COPD 
