Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is characterized by obstruction of the airways that leads to airway limitation, and includes such diseases as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is often mistaken for asthma (an estimated 17 percent of asthmatics actually have COPD), but it differs from asthma and most other lung diseases because the airway obstructions it causes are often not fully reversible, and typically get worse over time.

An estimated 24 million people in the U.S. suffer from COPD, and ~10 million new cases were diagnosed in 2000. COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S., and is estimated to cost $30 billion and 58 million lost workdays annually.

Common Causes:
Cigarette smoking is the most common cause (80-90% of all cases) of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD). 15 percent of all smokers have COPD severe enough to show symptoms, and the percentage of smokers with symptoms increases with age. COPD can also be caused by other factors, such as:

• Prolonged exposure to air pollution.
• Prolonged exposure to poor air quality.

Common Symptoms:
Most patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) will experience chronic coughing as their first symptom, but will not visit a doctor until they begin suffering from shortness of breath (the typical second symptom). Other common symptoms of COPD include:

• Chronic phlegm production.
• Exacerbations (sudden bouts of worsening symptoms)

Common Treatments:
Smoking cessation and/or careful screening of air quality are common preventative treatments for most Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) cases, but more direct treatments include:

• Medication (typically to treat coughing and/or wheezing).
• Antibiotics (typically to fight respiratory infections).
• Supplemental oxygen (for patients with low blood oxygen levels).
• Careful monitoring, such as through the MedStar (COPD patients are often monitored carefully to watch for signs of impending exacerbations, to monitor blood oxygen levels, to ensure they are obeying doctor's instructions, and to adjust medication doses).

There is no cure for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), as damage done to the airways and lungs are irreversible with current treatments. As such, the focus of treatment is to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.

The MedStar can monitor blood oxygen, blood pressure and pulse levels -- and provide data reports on a daily basis. It is an ideal low-cost tool to monitor and help control COPD.