Posted on May 31st, 2023

If you are diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you will certainly be in search of a “COPD doctor near me”. This disease is a chronic disorder of the lungs with a breakdown of bronchi and air passageways. This article will give you the necessary information about COPD and questions about which you are curious.

After a diagnosis of COPD, you should visit a doctor at Express Care Urgent Care to monitor the state of your disease along with the symptoms and effective treatment. The doctor will help you understand the progression of the disease and enjoy the quality of life in a better way. The factors affecting COPD and the method of treatment employed by your doctor can help you improve the situation.

COPD and Life Expectancy

COPD has become the major cause of a reduction in life expectancy in the USA. A study reported the life expectancy of people with COPD. It showed that the life expectancy of smokers with COPD is considerably reduced that is nearly 6 years. The patients with COPD who don’t smoke have a reduction in life expectancy which is about 3.5 years. Thus, it is obvious that smoking has extreme effects on the life expectancy of COPD victims.

Other factors contribute to life expectancy too. These include heart diseases, asthma, and diabetes. They can further shorten the life expectancy along with COPD. It shows that maintaining your health condition and quitting smoking can help you improve your situation. You should also take a healthy diet and do proper exercise daily to decrease the impact of COPD.

Understanding COPD Progression

There is no accurate prediction about the exact impact of COPD on life expectancy. However, doctors use different types of tests to evaluate COPD progression. They also tell the extent of risk from the disease in the future and make treatment decisions according to the level of disease.

GOLD System

The GOLD system stands for global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease. It is a classification system to account for your lung function. They also monitor your symptoms of disease to examine how the disease is impacting your life. The doctors use a lung function test known as spirometry. This test can measure the amount of air blown out by you in one second.

We are the first choice for individuals looking for a “COPD doctor near me”. Our doctors will collect the necessary information and diagnose the category of COPD for you. They will determine the types of therapy for you according to your level of disease.

BODE Index

The BODE index is another system our health professionals use to check the impact of COPD on your life expectancy. There are four measurements in the BODE index including Body mass index (BMI), pulmonary function tests, dyspnea, and a 6-minute walk test.

In BMI, we determine your body weight and height. It will tell us whether you are underweight or obese. Pulmonary function tests examine the airways and their obstruction. Dyspnea refers to difficulty breathing. Covering all these tests, we are the best option for patients looking for a “COPD doctor near me” in Hamden.

COPD Prognosis

Research shows that routine blood tests can help COPD prognosis prediction. Systemic inflammation is a characteristic used through biomarkers. It can predict the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs. It can tell whether you will be benefited from oxygen therapy or not.  The information about your life expectancy will be used by our health professionals to determine the type of therapy you need.