Smokers Pass Over Possible Symptoms Of Killer Lung Disease

1 in 5 smokers (22%) aged between 15-54 years suffer from a persistent 'smokers' cough and yet the majority (75%) do not realise it could be an early warning sign of a devastating lung disease - and over 4 in 5 hadn't visited their GP about it, according to a major new survey released by the British Thoracic Society COPD Consortium.

A regular chesty cough can be one of the four early warning signs of COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a condition which kills 30,000 people a year in UK. Other symptoms include breathlessness on mild exertion, frequent coughs and colds in winter, and persistent production of phlegm.

COPD is an umbrella term, which covers smoking-related conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema - and is often called 'the hidden killer' because of its lack of public profile.

To coincide with the study the Consortium has re-launched an educational campaign targeting middle-aged smokers - in a bid to catch the disease early. Posters and leaflets are available for GP practices up and down the country. Entitled 'Trouble with breathing?' the materials urge individuals to see their GP or nurse for a simple breathing test if they have key symptoms.

The MORI survey of 866 members of the general public (excluding health professionals) analysed their knowledge, and possible symptoms, of COPD. It found that:

• There is a low level of recognition among the public of the early warning symptoms of COPD - and that the disease predominantly affects smokers. For example only 3% of the public knew that persistent production of phlegm could be a warning sign
• 6 in 10 smokers (61%) have experienced one or more possible early COPD symptoms and yet less then half (47%) have seen their GP about them
• Almost half (48%) of symptomatic smokers stated that they hadn't visited their GP because they didn't think their symptoms were anything to worry about
• 45% of smokers said they didn't go to their GP about it as they didn't want to be told to give up smoking
• Two thirds of people in the survey had never heard of COPD - even though it kills 30,000 people a year
• Nearly three times more people had heard of asthma than COPD - even though COPD kills 20 times more people a year

(Differences in bold are statistically significant)

There are an estimated 600,000 diagnosed cases of COPD in the UK. This figure could represent just the 'tip of the iceberg' due to lack of awareness of symptoms among the general population.

Respiratory experts believe it is crucial that smokers seek help if they have these early symptoms, as the earlier the disease is diagnosed the better the health outcome. In addition, diagnosis can also act as a prompt for smokers to quit - and GPs can offer advice and a wide range of help and services (such as nicotine replacement therapy) to help them kick the habit.

As part of an ongoing education campaign targeted at health professionals - the Consortium also provides a 'back to basics' booklet for GPs and nurses on how to identify and diagnose patients with the disease. In addition to this new materials are planned for launch in January and March of 2002.

Dr Michael Rudolf, Chairman of the British Thoracic Society COPD Consortium, said: "These results confirm our fears that awareness and understanding of COPD is low - even though it causes a huge amount of suffering and kills over 30,000 people a year in UK."

"Thousands of middle aged smokers could be experiencing the early warning symptoms of this debilitating disease - but are not getting it checked it out. Going to your GP or practice nurse for a simple breath test is extremely important - the sooner we can catch this disease the better the health outcome for the patient."

"Early diagnosis and treatment can help halt disease progression, provide a real impetus for someone to quit smoking and make a difference to their future lung health."

"Health professionals also have a vital role to play in improving the diagnosis and management of COPD. We are encouraging GP surgeries to be proactive in identifying more mild to moderate COPD cases in their communities. For example, setting up clinics which offer spirometry tests to help diagnose patients as well as providing treatment services and support on quitting smoking."

Technical details

The BTS COPD Consortium is a unique partnership comprising the British Thoracic Society working with industry and the voluntary sector to promote good practice in the management of COPD in accordance with the BTS COPD Guidelines.

The BTS COPD Guidelines encourage the following:

• Correct diagnosis of COPD to differentiate from asthma and heart disease
• Ensure correct treatment to reduce costs
• Target "stop smoking" advice for those at risk
• Prevent onset/worsening of symptoms
• Delay death and prolong active life

COPD results in 2-4 times more GP consultations than angina.

More than one in 25 of over 45s and one in ten over 75s consult their GPs with COPD.

It is a major killer throughout the World.

Deaths from COPD are 20 times more common than deaths from asthma.

MORI interviewed a nationally representative quota sample of 866 adults aged 15+ (excluding health professionals) from 188 sampling points across Great Britain between 23-28 August 2001. All interviews were carried out face-to-face, in homes using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing). Data were weighted to reflect the known population profile.