Prevalence

An estimated 1.2 million patients in the UK live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), equivalent to 80 people per community pharmacy. Defined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as “a common, treatable (but not curable) and largely preventable lung condition, characterised by persistent respiratory symptoms (such as breathlessness, cough, and sputum) and airflow obstruction (usually progressive and not fully reversible)”, COPD is forecast to become the third-leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. 

A preventable and treatable disease, COPD is managed through a combination of pharmacological therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation.