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Newswise — NEW YORK, NY – Nov. 20, 2024 – (COPD) is a preventable and treatable condition marked by breathlessness, chronic sputum production and cough, claiming three million lives globally each year —particularly in low-resource countries — and is expected to increase due to aging populations and ongoing exposure to risks like tobacco smoke.

In support of World COPD Day today, the is joining the Forum of International Respiratory Societies to highlight the importance of measuring lung function - using spirometry - with the theme “Know Your Lung Function”. (Although, historically, the spirometry measurement has been important for clinicians and other health professionals, it should be noted that the ATS has published a report recommending that)

Although spirometry is an essential tool for diagnosing COPD, it is also a marker of health throughout life. Our lungs grow from the womb all the way through young adulthood. Throughout this period we are vulnerable to stressors like air pollution and respiratory infections that can impede lung growth and increase our risk for developing chronic lung disease later in life. Unfortunately, much lung function can be lost before we develop symptoms. 

Lung function is not only a predictor of lung health, but our overall health. Small reductions in lung function are linked to higher mortality rates, both respiratory and non-respiratory. Early detection through spirometry can lead to prompt interventions and improved outcomes.

Initiatives to reduce the burden of COPD and to promote lung health are taking place worldwide, including smoking-cessation programs, efforts to combat indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as examining childhood disadvantage factors.  

Although there is currently no cure for COPD, steps to prevent it and improve quality of life can be taken by a variety of individuals in many different settings. Employers can strive for safe breathing environments, citizens can act as stewards of air cleanliness, and both patients and families can help advocate for more research and better access to care, including essential medications, routine spirometry screenings, and other treatments like telehealth access for patients in remote settings. In addition, providers and policy makers can work together to improve access to spirometry and advocate for its use as a general health marker in all stages of life.

Learn more in the 2024 GOLD Report:

More information on COPD, including treatment options like may be found in the patient resources pages of the American Thoracic Society website.

World COPD Day World COPD Day is an annual global initiative run by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), a member of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). The goal of World COPD Day is to raise awareness and present new knowledge and therapeutic strategies for COPD worldwide. The 23rd annual World COPD Day will take place on November 20, 2024. 

Be part of the global effort to improve the lives of people with COPD. Join World COPD Day events organized by GOLD and FIRS. Find out more .

Contact for Media:

Fiona Salter [email protected]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease causing breathlessness, chronic sputum production, and cough. It's a leading global killer, especially prevalent in low-resource countries. Annually, COPD claims three million lives worldwide, a number projected to rise due to aging populations and continued exposure to risk factors like tobacco smoke. While tobacco smoke is a primary risk factor, COPD's complex etiology involves genetic and environmental factors, beginning in utero and progressing throughout life.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS)

(FIRS) is an organisation comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally: (CHEST), (ATS), (APSR), (ALAT), (ERS), (The Union), (PATS), (GINA), and the (GOLD).

The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.