A million Canadians may not know they have COPD, report states

Toronto – Two million Canadians live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but another million may have the disease without knowing it, according to a national report released by the Ontario Lung Association.The report, Helping the Missing Million: Improving the Diagnosis and Treatment of COPD, points to a need for greater knowledge about the disease among the general public as well as a better understanding of COPD treatment guidelines on the part of family doctors and specialists.The results of the report were based on two Leger surveys, one of Canadians living with COPD and the other of physicians.The survey of patients found that more than half of respondents did not know what COPD was before they were diagnosed. Among those who had experienced at least one symptom, 35% did not speak to their doctor about the issue, while 65% experienced symptoms for at least a year before being diagnosed.The report also states that only 12% of general practitioners and 21% of specialists consistently follow the Canadian Thoracic Society’s treatment guidelines for COPD. Research into physician data and pharmacological trends shows that inhaled corticosteroids are overused, which is inconsistent with guideline recommendations and carries a risk of unnecessary side-effects.Better education and improved partnership between patients and healthcare providers are needed to ensure timely diagnosis and optimal guideline-based treatment to improve outcomes and reduce pressures on the healthcare system, according to the report.It also identifies a number of opportunities and recommendations to improve healthcare providers’ ability to diagnose and treat the disease, including referrals to specialists and access to spirometry, the gold-standard diagnostic test for COPD, as well as improved drug coverage, awareness and usage of support programs, and a multi-disciplinary approach to care.“Uncovering barriers to diagnosing COPD will help us better understand how we can care for patients," said Dr. Andrea Gershon, respiratory physician and scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and ICES. “I believe increased access to spirometry testing and involvement of specialists will improve the diagnosis and subsequently the treatment of COPD, and ultimately help affected people lead their healthiest lives.”Read more about the Ontario Lung Association at https://lungontario.ca/

A million Canadians may not know they have COPD, report states

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