BREATHE EASIER WITH
COPD HEALTHY HABITS CAN GREATLY IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
C
hronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects nearly 16 million Americans. While COPD is not curable, it’s treatable—and patients can still enjoy a good quality of life, say experts at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Rahway. “You can halt COPD’s progression if you stop smoking,” explains Carlos Remolina, MD, a pulmonologist with RWJUH Rahway. “A healthy diet and exercise are also very important, as are medications to manage the condition.”
Who’s at risk for COPD? CARLOS REMOLINA, MD
Healthy Together
COPD is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases of the lungs that
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includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking is the primary cause of COPD, though about a quarter of people who have it have never smoked. Besides smokers, people at risk include those who have chronic bronchial asthma or those who have been exposed to fumes and chemicals, Dr. Remolina says. Other patients may also have a rare genetic predisposition to the deterioration of lung tissue. “Usually the patient presents with a chronic cough, excessive phlegm or sputum production, shortness of breath and wheezing, and tightness in the chest,” Dr. Remolina says.
How is it diagnosed?
“The first test to do is called spirometry, which is a test in which a patient blows air into a machine,” Dr. Remolina says. “That’s going to tell you how fast air comes out and can
Spring 2022
3/4/22 3:07 PM
