Advanced technology poised to help millions of COPD sufferers

In-Depth

New technology offers hope to millions of COPD sufferers, but some key obstacles stand in the way of its widespread clinical use writes Professor Guang-Zhong Yang (Director of Imperial College London's Hamlyn Centre) and Dr. Anthony De Soyza (NIHR National Specialty Lead for Respiratory Disorders)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a condition with a significant burden on patients, as well as the economy and society. It is one of the most costly inpatient conditions that the NHS treats, with a direct healthcare cost of COPD estimated at over £800 million a year.

COPD describes a group of lung conditions that make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because the airways have been narrowed. This causes breathlessness, frequent chest infections, persistent wheezing and a stubborn chesty cough. In the UK alone 1.2 million people live with diagnosed COPD yet millions of people still remain undiagnosed – the ‘missing millions’ range between 1.8 – 2 million in the UK alone.

COPD can't be cured or reversed. But for many people the right treatment can help keep it under control, so it doesn't severely stop them from going about their daily lives.

This is where new technology can help, as highlighted in a new report by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in collaboration with the Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College London.

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