Learning the Signs That Lead to COPD

DEAR DR. ROACH: What signs and/or symptoms do you need for a doctor to determine whether you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? -- R.K.

ANSWER: The diagnosis of COPD is suspected in people who are at risk for the disease and note one of two cardinal symptoms: cough or dyspnea. (A “symptom” is what a patient identifies by history, while a “sign” is noted on a physical exam. A cough can be both a symptom and a sign.) Dyspnea is usually described as shortness of breath, a sensation that a person can’t get enough air, like they have just run very fast. Some people with COPD may have very subtle symptoms.

Smoking is the biggest risk factor for COPD, but there are other causes, including other chemical exposures (industrial exposures and home cooking fires are less common now, but are historically important causes of COPD); scarring lung disease; and a genetic cause, a condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

The diagnosis is confirmed most often by tests of lung function, which are breathing tests to look at the physiology of the lung and its ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Sometimes the diagnosis can be supported by an X-ray or CT scan, but pulmonary function testing is the best way to determine the severity of COPD.

We do have ways of slowing down lung decline in COPD, one way being smoking cessation for current smokers, but some of the medications we use also help reduce ongoing damage.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Please help! Is it true that Trulicity may cause serious side effects, including thyroid tumors and cancer, as well as pancreatitis? -- J.R.

ANSWER: Dulaglutide (Trulicity), like semaglutide (Ozembic) and liraglutide (Victoza), are in a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which have several actions, such as increasing insulin release by the pancreas in response to meals. Initial studies on laboratory rats did show an increase in an unusual type of thyroid cancer, but studies have not yet shown an increased rate in humans. Still, people at an increased risk for this type of thyroid cancer (having a family history of medullary thyroid cancer or of multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2A or 2B) are not recommended to take this medication. Similarly, there are reports of pancreatitis in people taking this medication, but it isn’t clear whether the medicine is responsible for the pancreatitis. It’s unwise to use this class of medication in people with a history of pancreatitis.

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Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

© 2023 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

Baptist

CORNERSTONE CHURCH OF EAST PEMBROKE

2583 Main Rd., P.O. Box 189, East Pembroke, NY 14056

Phone 585-762-8721 • Email: cornerstonechurchep@yahoo.com

Church Facebook: Cornerstone Church of East Pembroke

Bible Study every Wednesday at 10am • All are welcome!

Chicken BBQ May 21, start serving at 11:30am $15.00/dinner

Secretary’s hours: Tues, Weds, urs. 9am-1pm

PASTOR: Rev. Glenn Bloom, Jr 585-356-4657 • Pastor’s wife Joyce 585-356-8253

Catholic

Our Lady of Mercy & St. Brigid Catholic Parishes

44 Lake St., LeRoy, NY 14482 • 585-768-6543 • www.ourladyofmercyleroy.org

Our Lady of Mercy Masses: Sat. 4:30pm; Sun. 7:15am, 10:45am, 5:30pm

Weekday Masses: Mon. - Fri. 7:30am; Sat. 9am

Confessions: Sat. 3-4pm; Tues. 7-7:30pm; urs. 6-6:30pm

St. Brigid’s, 18 Gibson St., Bergen, NY 14416, Sunday Mass: 9am

Weekday Masses: Tues. & urs. 8:30am; Confessions: Sat. 2-2:30pm

Episcopal

St. James Episcopal Church

405 East Main St., Batavia, NY • sjecbataviany.org

Sundays: 9am Service of God’s Word and Spiritual Communion -- via Zoom

10am Service of the Holy Eucharist -- In Person, Children Welcome

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8085432266

Meeting ID: 808 543 2266 • Password: zrXG3y

Lutheran

Lutheran Church of Our Saviour (ELCA)

2415 Chili Ave., 585-247-7824 • e Reverend Joachim K. Wilck, Pastor

Recorded services on www.oursaviourrochester.org

Email: o ce@oursaviourrochester.org • 8:30am Modern Service

9:45am Sunday School • 10:30am Traditional Service

You may worship indoors & we broadcast in parking lot/drive-in.

Audio Loop for the Hearing Impaired.

Methodist

Pavilion United Methodist Church

Come worship with us!

11115 East Park St., Pavilion • 585-584-3808

Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Karen Woodworth

All are welcome!

Batavia First United Methodist Church

To Make Disciples We Must Listen, Learn, Lead, and Love Our Way to God!

8221 Lewiston Rd., Batavia, NY • 343-4708 • Rev. Wayne Mort

Worship & Sunday School, 10am • Child care provided Sun. at 10am. https://www.facebook.com/BataviaFirstUnitedMethodist

Indian Falls United Methodist Church

7908 Alleghany Rd, Corfu, NY 14036 • (585) 762-9105 https://indianfallsumc.com • indianfallsumc@gmail.com

Sunday Morning Worship 10:00am

Sunday School (all ages) 11:30am

All Are Welcome!

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Cornerstone Church

8020 Bank Street Road, Batavia 343-8020 www.cornerstonebatavia.org

Sunday Co ee & Fellowship 9:30am • Sunday Worship Service 10am

Wednesday Prayer & Worship 5:30pm

Wednesday Men’s & Women’s Bible Study at 6:30pm

Church of Christ

PO Box 230, 60 Spring St., Brockport, NY 14420 • Minister: Scott Kelley 585-637-2650 • brockportchurchofchrist.org

10:00am Bible Study, 11:00am Worship Service; Wed. 7:00pm Mid-week Bible Study - email us for Zoom link

Additional parking at 69 High Street.

Orthodox

Protection of the Mother of God Russian Orthodox Church

100 Stanford Dr., Rochester, NY 14610 • 585-224-0554

Archpriest Gregory Naumenko, Rector • A ROCOR Parish

Serving all English and Russian Speaking Orthodox Christians

Full schedule of services and live service streaming at www.pomog.org

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

Batavia Seventh-Day Adventist Church

101 Richmond Ave, Batavia, NY 14020 • (585) 563-5331

Pastor, Edgar De León

Saturday Worship Service: 9:30am

Bible Study: 11am-12pm