The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterized by chronic airflow limitation that is not fully reversible, with a precise definition varying between different management guidelines. The burden of COPD is considerable from all relevant viewpoints. From the perspective of society, the mortality is already considerable, and it is likely to increase from the sixth to the third most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. From the patient's perspective, COPD is responsible for disability that restricts many everyday activities, such as walking up stairs. The burden of COPD on physicians includes increasing consultations for the condition. From the perspective of healthcare payers, COPD represents an increasing burden, primarily due to the costs incurred when exacerbations require hospital treatment. Despite this considerable burden, there are many signs that the impact of COPD is not recognized. Research on COPD is currently underfunded in relation to the impact of the disease; patients only present late with symptoms; physicians may fail to diagnose the condition and healthcare payers may be failing to support treatment approaches that could reduce the number of costly hospital exacerbations. Reasons for this overall poor recognition of the burden of COPD include lack of recognition of the disease, difficulties in diagnosis, poor knowledge of COPD and nihilistic attitudes towards the condition and its treatment. Awareness of COPD could be improved with education of the public and healthcare professionals. Long-term epidemiological studies showing the impact on morbidity and mortality of different treatment approaches would also influence the setting of priorities by healthcare payers.