Spreading The Word About COPD

Millions At Risk For Killer Lung Disease

(CBS)  There is a simple test to diagnose a killer lung disease; however, most people haven't heard about either the test or the disease.

It’s called COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - and it encompasses all the diseases that obstruct breathing, like emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

In healthy people, the airways of the lung are elastic; but in COPD, the lungs become obstructed and collapse and it’s hard for air to move in and out.

“It’s rising in an epidemic way, and in epidemic proportions, and that's what's really alarming,” says Dr. James Kiley of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

What's particularly staggering is that one person dies every 4 minutes of COPD. Right now, there are 24 million people who have the disease, but half of them don't even know it. As CBS News medical contributor Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports, it’s become one woman's mission to try and change that.

Grace Ann Koppel has led a very private life as wife of renowned journalist Ted Koppel. Six years ago, she was told COPD would eventually kill her.

"It’s frightening. It’s like trying to suck the air you need through a straw," she says.

Incredibly, her doctor didn't recognize the symptoms as anything serious.

"The doctor told me to lose 10 pounds. He gave me no medications, he gave no tests," she said.

It was a wrong diagnosis. Finally, a simple lung capacity test gave Grace Ann the diagnosis of COPD.

But hearing her prognosis was devastating.

“I would be on oxygen 24 hours-a-day very soon,” she says.

“It was worse than that,” adds Ted Koppel. “They told you you would be on oxygen after two years and probably dead in five.”

“Yeah, it was it certainly a moment that catches your attention,” Grace Ann said.

Like 80 percent of COPD patients, Grace Ann used to be a smoker. Many people like her husband believe that the stigma attached to smoking has led a lack of awareness and research dollars for COPD.

“There is a sense of, this is one of those diseases that people - the impression is - brought upon themselves, it is the smoker's disease,” says Ted Koppel.

Grace Ann has spent six years aggressively fighting her disease with various medications and exercise, and she has regained almost 70 percent of her lung capacity. The message she wants to get out is that COPD is not curable, but it is treatable.

”We're all going to die; we're all going to have the toe tag, and it's going to say something and its most probable that my toe tag, is going to say COPD,” says Grace Ann. “But we've got to face these things in life and say ‘What can I do to make my life most productive, most enjoyable, and most healthy’ and I made that choice.”

---

For more information:

• COPD: National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute


• The COPD Foundation: 1-866-316-COPD

[barbinmps]

There is also another "silent killer" lung disease called Pulmonary Hypertension, PH. It is a severely under-diagnosed disease that even fewer have heard of, whether you are a patient or in the medical world. Its symptoms are extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling of ankles, dizziness, chest heaviness, fainting, hoarseness, bluish skin & nails.
November is PH Awareness month.

[gailbucci]

Barb, thank you for that info, may I add that Pulmonary Hypertension left undiagnosed because it is thought to be COPD or a number of other lung diseases, can lead to death very quickly. In most cases, by the time PAH is diagnosed, people are stage 3 or 4 and once in stage 4 it is very hard to pull them back.
Public awareness and more importantly, educating the medical community about Pulmonary Hypertension since it is so rare is crucial right now.
Yes, November is Pulmonary Hypertension awareness month, I would love to see CBS spread the word about Pulmonary Hypertension. Why not a follow up of this wonderful story on COPD? Gail Bucci, SW FL PH Center, Patient Advocate

[breezy4321]

Many times COPD and Pulmonary Hypertension are both misdiagnosed as Asthma too. Many people that have pulmonary hypertension hae clear lungs, but are diagnosed with COPD. Many people that have COPD have lungs that aren''t clear. Many times by the time Pulmonary Hypertension is diagnosed, the patient not only has trouble breathing, but their heart has become enlarged or has other damage.

[ohpapher]

Reading the comments above, Pulmonary Hypertension is more than another "silent killer" it is a dastardly disease. It is not only sneaky because is it often misdiagnosed as asthma or a cardiac problem but as noted in your report about COPD, many doctors do not know what to look for. Awareness and education of the medical profession is a must.
Left untreated you may have an average of 30 months and that''s if you are lucky. With the proper treatment there is hope but at this time there is no cure and there are very few approved treatments. PH is progressive and fatal.
The cost of these medicines is astronomical and can be a great hardship on the patient as many or most can not afford this expense and some insurance companies won''t cover some of the medicines that may be required. Some have endured a great personal sacrifice to try to stay alive.

[ohpapher]

Reading the comments above, Pulmonary Hypertension is more than another "silent killer" it is a dastardly disease. It is not only sneaky because is it often misdiagnosed as asthma or a cardiac problem but as noted in your report about COPD, many doctors do not know what to look for. Awareness and education of the medical profession is a must.
Left untreated you may have an average of 30 months and that''s if you are lucky. With the proper treatment there is hope but at this time there is no cure and there are very few approved treatments. PH is progressive and fatal.
The cost of these medicines is astronomical and can be a great hardship on the patient as many or most can not afford this expense and some insurance companies won''t cover some of the medicines that may be required. Some have endured a great personal sacrifice to try to stay alive.

[ohpapher]

Reading the comments above, Pulmonary Hypertension is more than another "silent killer" it is a dastardly disease. It is not only sneaky because is it often misdiagnosed as asthma or a cardiac problem but as noted in your report about COPD, many doctors do not know what to look for. Awareness and education of the medical profession is a must.
Left untreated you may have an average of 30 months and that''s if you are lucky. With the proper treatment there is hope but at this time there is no cure and there are very few approved treatments. PH is progressive and fatal.
The cost of these medicines is astronomical and can be a great hardship on the patient as many or most can not afford this expense and some insurance companies won''t cover some of the medicines that may be required. Some have endured a great personal sacrifice to try to stay alive.

[ohpapher]

Reading the comments above, Pulmonary Hypertension is more than another "silent killer" it is a dastardly disease. It is not only sneaky because is it often misdiagnosed as asthma or a cardiac problem but as noted in your report about COPD, many doctors do not know what to look for. Awareness and education to the medical profession is a must.
Left untreated you may have an average of 30 months and that''s if you are lucky. With the proper treatment there is hope but at this time there is no cure and there are very few approved treatments. PH is progressive and fatal.
The cost of these medicines is astronomical and can be a great hardship on the patient as many or most can not afford this expense and some insurance companies won''t cover some of the medicines that may be required. Some have endured a great personal sacrifice to try to stay alive.

[ohpapher]

Reading the comments above, Pulmonary Hypertension is more than another "silent killer" it is a dastardly disease. It is not only sneaky because is it often misdiagnosed as asthma or a cardiac problem but as noted in your report about COPD, many doctors do not know what to look for. Awareness and education to the medical profession is a must.
Left untreated you may have an average of 30 months and that''s if you are lucky. With the proper treatment there is hope but at this time there is no cure and there are very few approved treatments. PH is progressive and fatal.
The cost of these medicines is astronomical and can be a great hardship on the patient as many or most can not afford this expense and some insurance companies won''t cover some of the medicines that may be required. Some have endured a great personal sacrifice to try to stay alive.

[bdil86]

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Thank you for your report on COPD tonight. I just saw it on the web site. It did my heart good to hear her story. When I told my doctor I was having a hard time walking because I got out of breath he told me to walk more. I was also gaining weight and I had always kept it between 120-130 at 5ft 41/2 in. . It was not until I did my own oxymeter reading strips (8) of them did he understand I meant what I said. I also happened to be a Public Health School School Nurse so I knew something was wrong. I had also had a double mastectomy during this time and nothing was checked at that time.THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
[e-mail]

[ohpapher]

My apologies for the additional comments that were posted. The publish button indicated there was a delay so I waited and clicked again and again....

COPD as well as PH are diseases where awareness to the public and the medical professionals needs to be expressed.

[lrcp]

As a respiratory therapist, I deal with COPD victims on a daily basis. COPD is a killer that causes lung damage often many years before individuals begin feeling the fatigue and shortness of breath it brings. When these signs appear, moderate to severe damage has already occurred. I urge smokers to ask their doctors for early pulmonary spirometry testing before these signs appear. Smokers also need to get help in quitting smoking by contacting their local hospital''s Respiratory Care Department or the American Lung Association. These individuals can both improve the length and quality of the life before them.

John Campbell MBA, RRT-NPS, RPFT, LRCP

[vladyr]

Thank you Dr. Gupta for an excellent interview. Let me add a few more facts: COPD affects 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 45. One of six people with COPD has never smoked. With the continually climbing death rate COPD will reach the third place by 2020. Many more women then men are diagnosed with and die of COPD. We see an influx of patients who never smoked. Treatment options are inadequate with medicines carrying a variety of health risks (comorbidities). Budgetary constraints negatively impact on oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation. COPD is the second major cause of disability and an enormous economic burden. The primary source of medical expenses for COPD patients are extended hospital stays and expensive medications. It is estimated that 10% of persons with COPD account for more than 70% of all medical care costs. In recent years the NIH funding for COPD research has not kept in step with the medical crisis on our hands. The disparities in allocation of funds must not continue any longer. To illustrate the problem, let me bring up a few figures: COPD with 124,816 deaths received $63 million; AIDS with 16,371 deaths - $2.8 billion; breast cancer with 41,100 deaths - $699 million; and Parkinson%u2019s with 14,593 deaths received $222 million. It has been effectively demonstrated that a massive infusion of research dollars can make a dramatic difference. This was shown in cardiovascular diseases. It is high time to do it for COPD.

[brianbwb-2009]

The vast majority of COPD is caused by particulates entering the lungs. Even though the body has mechanisms for expelling the particulates, many, like smog from autos, and smoke from factories, contain carcinogenic and other toxic substances that are absorbed before the dust carrying them is expelled. This is also why even non smokers are at risk.

The question must be asked and answered, is the loss of health and life worth ignoring pollution controls that "might harm the economy (profits)", as the pure capitalists, most notably Bush, posit?

[breatheout]

I''ve had COPD

[breatheout]

I would like to know the kinds of medications Mrs. Koppel took that brought her so much improvement in her breathing. I''ve had COPD for 6 years; take multiple prescriptions, including 2 inhalers, plus use a nebulizer machine; and use oxygen 24/7.

[prairiegirl2]

Could incidences of COPD be rising along with the rising use of statin drugs? These drugs deplete the body of CoQ10 which is an enzyme needed to keep our muscles strong and working properly. The heart is our biggest muscle!?

[fallsinn]

Having COPD I am repeatedly told of ''a shot'' that is given in Old Mexico. I have spoke with a gentleman who has been treated, his results are wonderful. He was immediately off oxygen and gets around great. After about a year had to return for another treatment. He has emphysema, another gentleman was not as successful, he had more asthma! I am on air 24/7 but just cannot take the leap to Old Mexico. They call it stem cell? I have had too many people stop me and tell me about this guy for it not be legit.Possibly this can help someone.

[fallsinn]

Having COPD I am repeatedly told of ''a shot'' that is given in Old Mexico. I have spoke with a gentleman who has been treated, his results are wonderful. He was immediately off oxygen and gets around great. After about a year had to return for another treatment. He has emphysema, another gentleman was not as successful, he had more asthma! I am on air 24/7 but just cannot take the leap to Old Mexico. They call it stem cell? I have had too many people stop me and tell me about this guy for it not be legit.Possibly this can help someone.

[mholdren452]

Pulmonary Hypertension is another very rare lung disease. Nobody seems to want to approach a news story on it. November is PH Awareness Month. Katie, maybe you could do the PH community a service by reporting on our lung disorder.

Smiles and Prayers, Marge

[mar456451]

I would slso love to find out what Mrs Koppel is taking that brought her so much improvement, along with any of her other remedies !!!!!!!!!

[dtaylorsf]

When I heard the story was going to be about a "Killer Lung Disease" I thought for sure it was going to be about Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). PH is highblood pressure in the lungs, affecting the right side of the heart. It is rare and has no cure. 50% of people w/ PH die within 2.8 years. There few approved treatments. Even MDs are frequently not aware of PH and its symptoms.

Fight PH! Learn more. November is PH Awareness month.

[dtaylorsf]

When I heard the story was going to be about a "Killer Lung Disease" I thought for sure it was going to be about Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). PH is highblood pressure in the lungs, affecting the right side of the heart. It is rare and has no cure. 50% of people w/ PH die within 2.8 years. There few approved treatments. Even MDs are frequently not aware of PH and its symptoms.

Fight PH! Learn more. November is PH Awareness month.

[breatheout]

fallsin,

If you go to this website:

www/gilberttimes.com/oct6-feature1.asp

you will find an article about the "shot" for COPD given by a doctor in Mexico.

[dnd24]

I had lung cancer and had part of my lung removed and had copd for quite a fewyears i am now at moderate to severe. I recently found a book by neil schacter md a professor of pulmonary medicine at mt sinai ny.it was written 2003 and was very hard to find.had to go thru barns and noble.I must say it was depressing at first but helped me in alot of ways.from food to exercise.from indoors to outdoors.you cant do everything but i feel i must try and do everything i can I thought mrs koppel might be interested in this book also and i am glad she has control over copd.way to go mrs k

Thank you to Dr. Sanjay Gupta for this story on COPD. My husband was diagnosised with COPD a year ago and this has been a change to our lives. He is doing well so far however one wonders for how long. I do agree that this is often seen as a smokers disease so reserch is limited as it seen they did it to themselves. I would love to hear more about treatments and what is new.

[mar456451]

I just senta short message this morning, I was very upset and did not say much. T doctor said I am in 5th stage and if I get phnomia or bronciris I am dead. I could not beleive she got better? I did not think that was possible? I olso agree that no money has been spent on rearch , and if it had, we would have at least a extended chance. What happened to all the cigarette money the goverment was arwarded, shouldn''t it have been spent on rearch to help people smoking hurt?

[tucano2]

Too bad the cbsnews.com eMail forwarding feature doesn''t work - there are several to whom I''d like to send copies of the COPD article

[mmm54-2009]

I waited to hear your story about the rare lung disease with much anticipation. It was not, however, the lung disease I was hoping you would report. I have PPH-Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. This is very rare and has no cure. Please consider a story about this disease. Viagra/Revatio is also a treatment for PH.

[dgwooster]

Someone earlier was wondering about research money. Not many seem to be aware of it, but the federal government has actually cut back on funding due to the Iraq War (and Katrina) in the last few years.

Hardcore Bush supporters will say NIH budget hasn''t been cut, but the truth is it hasn''t increased to even keep pace with inflation. NIH''s total budget is a fraction of what the US spends on wars, and that''s something you as a taxpayer should be aware of.

[doodra]

If you really would like to do a report on a "Killing Lung Disease" I suggest you go to the www.PHAssociation.org web site. It tells you of a very rare lung disease that constricts the arteries in your lungs. It''s called Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). There is no cure but through more awareness at least now our MD''s are becoming aware of it. But with a time line of 2.8 years many people die undiagnosed.

As a person who has lived with COPD for at least ten years, I was very surprised that Grace Ann Coppel regained 70% of her lung function. I find this highly unlikely. Either she was not very sick to begin with, or she has her numbers wrong. As far as I was under the impression that once the lung function is gone, we can''t get it back without LVRS or transplant. We can improve our breathing by daily exercising. I would be very interested in knowing what she did to regain this lung function.
Sincerely
HNoperiAZ

[michellem99-2009]

My vet room mate and vet Dad has COPD.It heart breaking. My Dad is on oxygen,24/7. My vet room mate has heart ,diabetes,lung. All caused by years of smoking.He had the 1st of 5 heart attacks sep.12,01. He quit cold turkey.I asked Dad who got yer smoking. He said*the army *. Dad is 72. My friend 55. Even with smoking bans health info. persons still smoke. They are costly. 2rd hand smoke is worse. I have never smoked. It is banned our home that being an apt. When my friend did smoke, he went out doors.

[bettefisher]

There have been significant advances in stem cell research, particularly adult stem cells, to repair damaged lung tissue. I would like to see someone of Mrs. Koppel''s stature to become an advocate for more research and awareness in this area of research.

[bettefisher]

There have been siginificant advances in stem cells, particularly adult stem cells to repair damaged lung tissue. I would like to see someone of Mrs. Koppel''s stature to become an advocate for more research in this area.This research has the potential to save many lives.

[barbara2c]

I had umbilical cord stem cell therapy for COPD. My lungs are slowly regenerating. I have never heard of anyone regaining lung function who has COPD like Mrs. Koppel. There must be something missing in this story. I was one of the first people in the world to receive this therapy. I belong to a group called the Stem Cell Pioneers. I have co authored a book of the same title and we have a forum for stem cell discussion of the same name. Mrs. Koppel could help by adding her support for the US to get going with clinical trials for stem cell therapy. We are way behind and people are dying while this turns into a political standoff. There are no ethical issues with umbilical cord or adult stem cells. I am getting my life back!