Background
Definition:
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COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder and results in airflow obstruction which leads to a decrease in lung function. The damage to the lungs caused by COPD is irreversible, so treatment focuses on managing the disease.
Epidemiology
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It has been estimated 3 million people in the UK have COPD – 900,000 have been diagnosed, while around 2 million remain undiagnosed
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Most people are not diagnosed until above 50 years
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There are approximately 30,000 deaths a year due to COPD in the UK
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COPD patients occupy around one million hospital beds in England and Wales – leading to a cost of £1 billion annually.
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21 million working days are lost to the disease annually
COPD prevalence is influenced by age as is shown below in Figure 1.
Quality and outcomes framework (QOF) data has identified regional variation in COPD prevalence based on strategic health authorities. This is summarised below in Figure 2.
