Prevalence and Therapy of Chronic Obstructive Disease in Karachi

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been one of the main causes of mortality worldwide. The impact of COPD has been increasing socio-economically over time to make COPD an alarming condition for health associated professionals due to the severity of prevalence and its expensive treatment. Due to COPD, patients not only suffer from the illness as well as the financial costs associated with it Objectives: To determine the prevalence and the medication of COPD. Methods: The medical records of patients suffering from COPD were collected from different tertiary care hospitals in Karachi from June 2011 to May 2012 comprising of middle adulthood to mature aged patients. Results: Out of 1260 patients 174 (13.80%) were suffered from COPD. Nearly all the patients of COPD were associated with co-morbidity like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, urinary tract infections, renal failure, pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases. Anti-allergy, oxygen supply, intravenous and oral montilukast, atrovent and other nebulizers, cough syrups, inhalers, antibiotics, and other treatment were used for the treatment of COPD as directed by the world renowned guidelines for COPD. Conclusion: The prevalence of COPD is high and is detected through a standalone pulmonary function test (PFT) e.g Spirometry, or in conjunction with a clinical examination. In most cases the guidelines provide by the British Thoracic Society, Americans Thoracic Society, and European Respiratory Society are used to treat COPD KEY WORDS: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Prevalence; Treatment