Programs help people improve strength and stamina, reduce shortness of breath
Miami (November 5, 2024) – Pulmonary rehabilitation programs combine exercise training, health education and breathing techniques to help people with chronic lung disease live better lives. Research has shown benefits for people diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis and other chronic pulmonary conditions.
COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The disease affects more than 30 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death worldwide, yet awareness of the disease’s symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains poor.
Pulmonary rehabilitation programs are a combination of educational classes and supervised exercise sessions designed for people who have difficulty breathing. Programs help people understand their breathing and how to live better with their condition.
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Miami (October 31, 2024) - November is COPD Awareness Month. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, affects more than 30 million Americans and is characterized by shortness of breath.
COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. The disease is the third leading cause of death worldwide, yet awareness of the disease's symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains poor.
The COPD Foundation and its community have a full month of activities planned in November to raise awareness of COPD and to emphasize the need for increased research, funding and support for people impacted by chronic lung disease.
"This November, we join lung health champions around the world to raise awareness of COPD. COPD affects millions of people, yet many are unaware of the disease and its symptoms," said Jean Wright, M.D., MBA, CEO of the COPD Foundation. "By increasing awareness through initiatives like Lace Up for Lungs, social media sharing and lighting landmarks, we can collaborate toward better understanding and management of COPD to help people live longer, healthier lives."
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Miami (October 29, 2024) - In honor of COPD Awareness Month in November, 42 landmarks across the United States, Canada and Australia will light up orange to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. The disease affects more than 30 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death worldwide.
"While nearly 30 million Americans have COPD, half of those don't know it yet. Increasing awareness of COPD, the need for early diagnosis and symptoms is key to finding those missing millions," said Jean Wright, M.D., MBA, CEO of the COPD Foundation. "We are excited to partner with these iconic buildings and locations to raise awareness of COPD this November."
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Miami & Parker, Colo. (October 28, 2024) - The COPD Foundation has announced the continuation of its collaboration with 1st Class Medical, a leading provider of respiratory equipment dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with respiratory conditions. This ongoing collaboration aims to further raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic lung conditions.
COPD affects an estimated 30 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death worldwide. COPD comprises several conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. Symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue and chronic cough.
As part of the collaboration, 1st Class Medical will donate $5 to the COPD Foundation for every oxygen concentrator sold in November, which is COPD Awareness Month. These funds will help support COPD research, education and advocacy efforts aimed at improving the lives of individuals living with COPD and chronic lung disease.
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Miami & New York, NY (October 21, 2024) - The COPD Foundation announces Kaia Health as a new partner in the Digital Health Corporate Social Responsibility program. This collaboration highlights the Foundation's commitment to supporting innovative digital solutions to improve the lives of individuals living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. The disease affects more than 30 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death worldwide.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is an important aspect of COPD management; however, geographic or logistical challenges can prevent people from accessing in-person programs. Kaia Health's digital-first approach helps overcome these obstacles, offering a flexible, accessible alternative to in-person rehabilitation programs.
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Second annual awareness event on October 2 highlights issues around medical oxygen delivery
Miami (September 26, 2024) - The second annual World Oxygen Day, led by the COPD Foundation, will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. The global awareness day brings together more than a dozen global patient advocacy organizations and professional societies to recognize and raise awareness of the importance of oxygen and oxygen therapy.
Low oxygen levels (known as hypoxemia) affect millions of people around the world living with a variety of respiratory and cardiac conditions. More than nine million people around the world live with chronic hypoxemia, with millions more needing short-term supplemental oxygen to survive acute conditions, such as pneumonia or traumatic injuries. Diseases and processes that cause hypoxemia can happen to people of any age.
Symptoms of hypoxemia can include shortness of breath, fatigue and confusion. Hypoxemia is most often detected with a pulse oximeter, which uses light pulses to measure how much oxygen is attached to hemoglobin molecules in the bloodstream. It is treated with supplemental oxygen therapy.
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MIAMI & Troy, Mich. (September 19, 2024) - The COPD Foundation has renewed an ongoing partnership with DirectRx, an independent specialty pharmacy recognized for its dual accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care and the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission. This collaboration aims to enhance access to personalized pharmaceutical care for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chronic respiratory diseases, such as COPD, bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung disease, affect millions worldwide, requiring ongoing medication management to control symptoms and improve quality of life. Specialty pharmacies, like DirectRx, offer specialized care to patients with respiratory disease that goes beyond standard pharmacy services.
These pharmacies have dedicated teams that help navigate insurance, find financial assistance and provide education on medication management, which is important for patients with chronic conditions like COPD. By focusing on the specific needs of respiratory patients, specialty pharmacies help ensure medication adherence, reduce exacerbations and improve overall health outcomes.
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Patients need additional education on proper inhaler use to improve outcomes
MIAMI (August 20, 2024) - Inhaler misuse leading to inadequate medication delivery impacts a person's ability to manage symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and additional education about proper inhaler use is needed to improve health outcomes, according to two new articles. The articles are published in the July 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal.
COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by irritants like smoke or pollution and genetics. The disease affects more than 30 million Americans, yet awareness of the disease's symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains poor. Symptoms, which include breathlessness, fatigue, and chronic cough, are primarily treated using inhaled medications.
In a new study, "Prevalence of Critical Errors and Insufficient Peak Inspiratory Flow in Patients Hospitalized With COPD in a Department of General Internal Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Study," the authors examined how often inhalers were misused by patients hospitalized with COPD over the course of nine months at Fribourg Hospital in Switzerland.
Inhaler misuse was categorized as either a critical error in inhalation technique or insufficient peak inspiratory flow. These errors result in a lesser dose of medication reaching the person's lungs, which impacts the person's ability to manage their symptoms and can lead to increased exacerbations.
"Misuse of inhalers is common, and in our study, we found that approximately two-thirds of inhalers were misused," said Gaël Grandmaison, M.D., an assistant physician in internal medicine at University and Hospital of Fribourg in Fribourg, Switzerland. "If an inhaler was misused, a physiotherapist conducted up to three teaching sessions with the patient. These sessions helped reduce the number of critical errors in inhaler use. However, despite this education, more than one in 10 inhalers continued to be used suboptimally, either due to an inability to generate sufficient inspiratory effort or because the inhaler was unsuitable for the patient's characteristics. These results highlight the importance of regular therapeutic education, assessing the patient's ability to generate a sufficient inspiratory effort, and selecting an inhaler suited to the patient's characteristics."
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Population health-based action plan suggests ways to mitigate negative impacts of poor air quality
MIAMI (August 14, 2024) - Communities impacted by increased wildfire activity and smoke can use a population health-based action plan to help alleviate health risks, particularly for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, according to a new perspective article. The article is published in the July 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal.
COPD is an inflammatory lung disease, comprising several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke and pollution. The disease affects more than 30 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death worldwide, yet awareness of the disease's symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains poor. Symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue and chronic cough.
This new perspective article examined the five-part Population Health Approach enacted by the University of California, Davis Health (UCDH). UCDH is located at the epicenter of one of California's largest wildfires, and the state's fire season currently lasts up to 6 months of the year.
"Air pollutants from wildfires negatively affect everyone and are particularly dangerous for those with respiratory diseases like COPD and asthma as the pollutants increase lung inflammation," said Reshma Gupta, M.D., MSHPM, Chief of Population Health and Accountable Care at UCDH and co-author of the study. "As the regional academic center for Northern California, our team routinely sees the negative health outcomes of wildfire smoke. This approach uses new technologies and population health methods to identify those at risk of wildfire smoke-induced health complications and to put interventions in place to mitigate the negative impact of poor air quality on the community."
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MIAMI & CLEVELAND (August 6, 2024) - The COPD Foundation has established a new partnership with Clean Air Dynamics, a leader in air quality solutions offering medical-grade and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared air disinfection technology. The collaboration highlights the importance of clean air in the lives of individuals with chronic lung diseases.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Clean air is essential for managing COPD and improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with respiratory diseases.
Both indoor and outdoor air pollution can exacerbate symptoms in people with respiratory diseases. Research indicates that using air purifiers to clean tiny particles of mold, dust, or pollen from indoor air can help alleviate COPD symptoms. These harmful particles can cause swelling in the lungs, which can worsen cough, breathing problems, and congestion.
"Breathing clean air is important for everyone's health, but it is particularly vital for those with chronic lung diseases," said Jean Wright, M.D., MBA, CEO of the COPD Foundation. "Ensuring access to cleaner air can reduce respiratory symptoms and improve overall health outcomes. This partnership will focus on raising awareness about the importance of air quality and steps to help individuals with chronic lung disease reduce their exposure to pollutants."
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As an organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the COPD Foundation recognizes the critical importance of including patient perspectives in the review processes for new medical treatments. Our approach to the collaboration with ICER on the review of ensifentrine exemplifies how patient perspectives can inform and enhance a value assessment process.
Over the course of ICER's review of ensifentrine, the COPD Foundation provided patient-centric, evidence-based comments and feedback each step of the way. On June 14, ICER held a virtual public meeting where an independent council deliberated on the clinical effectiveness, broader benefits, long-term value, and policy considerations for the new therapy. The inclusion of COPD Foundation Board members Valerie Chang and Phyliss DiLorenzo ensured that the patient voice on these topics was heard loud and clear. Their contributions helped to underscore the daily challenges faced by patients and highlighted the potential benefits of new medications.
We believe the insights provided by the COPD Foundation and its members have contributed meaningfully to ICER's evaluation and appreciate the opportunity to help deliver patient perspectives.
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MIAMI (August 2, 2024) - Bronchiectasis and NTM 360, a division of the COPD Foundation, joins other global patient advocacy organizations, professional societies and lung health experts for the second annual World NTM Awareness Day on Sunday, August 4, 2024.
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are naturally occurring bacteria in the environment, commonly found in soil and natural and treated water. While NTM can affect anyone's lungs, those with suppressed immune systems or other pulmonary diseases are particularly vulnerable. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are 16 times more likely to develop NTM lung disease.
NTM lung disease causes a person's airways to produce or retain extra mucus and, over time, can widen and scar the airways. Symptoms can include cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and weight loss. It is estimated that more than 200,000 people in the United States have NTM lung disease, with the number of new cases increasing 8% annually.
World NTM Awareness Day, established by NTM Info & Research, seeks to increase access to patient resources, education and early detection of NTM lung disease. Bronchiectasis and NTM 360 offers various educational materials for both health care providers and people living with NTM lung disease, their families and caregivers, including an NTM info sheet, educational videos with lung disease experts, an NTM Management Tool, and an online support community.
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