Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Michigan

Michigan

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that slowly damages air sacs in the lungs, decreasing airflow and making it difficult to breathe. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, mainly COPD, are the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, needing to clear the throat frequently and having a chronic cough.

Risk factors for COPD include cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, exposure to smoke from burning fuels, asthma and long-term exposure to lung irritants. While COPD has no cure, its progress and symptoms can be managed. If left untreated, COPD may lead to other health complications, including respiratory infections, heart disease, lung cancer and depression.

Medical costs attributed to COPD among adults age 45 and older were estimated to be $24 billion annually, with $11.9 billion of that going toward prescription drug costs.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, populations with a higher prevalence of COPD include: 

• Women compared with men.
• Adults ages 65 and older. The prevalence increases with age.
• American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial adults compared with Asian and Hispanic adults.
• Adults with less than a high school education compared with those with higher levels of educational attainment. College graduates have the lowest prevalence.
• Adults with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with adults with higher income levels.
• Adults living in nonmetropolitan areas than those living in metropolitan areas. 
• Straight adults compared with lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ+) adults.
• Adults who have difficulty with self-care compared with adults without a disability.
• Adults who have served in the U.S. armed forces compared with those who have not served. 

The best way to prevent COPD is to never smoke or stop smoking immediately. The American Lung Association offers smoking cessation programs and provides COPD management tools to guide those with COPD through developing a treatment plan with their health care provider. 

Other strategies to treat and manage COPD include:

• Engaging in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, a personalized COPD symptom management program.
• Taking medications.
• Getting vaccinated against respiratory diseases.
• Receiving supplemental oxygen therapy.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple goals related to respiratory diseases and COPD, including:

• Reducing COPD deaths among adults age 45 and older.
• Reducing emergency visits for COPD among adults age 45 and older. 
• Reducing hospitalizations for COPD.