TIRUCHY: Pulmonologists warn that Covid-19 patients who have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are at a higher risk of hospitalisation. Mortality rate is also higher in COPD patients.
The reason for the high mortality rate is because Covid affects the same part of the lungs that COPD affects.
"Alveolar exchange gets affected in COPD. The same area of the lungs is affected in Covid. Therefore, in severe and very severe COPD patients, Covid poses a big risk. The duration of hospital stay is also higher for COPD patients," said Dr Tamilarasan, consultant pulmonologist, Apollo Specialty Hospitals.
"COPD is a chronic lung disease. Patients who develop COVID are prone to respiratory failure. They already have reduced lung function, COVID reduces it further. Not just COVID, any small infection can affect COPD patients and cause severe damage," said Dr A Nagarajan, pulmonologist, Kauvery Hospital.
COPD is a chronic disease that doesn't have a cure.
Patients have to be on treatment and inhaler therapy for life, say doctors. COPD has four stages, and it's only the severe and very severe that face serious risk if they get Covid.
"If COPD is controlled, then there is less risk even with COVID. Physical and breathing exercises must be done daily. As smoking is the single most common reason for COPD, people must give up the habit," added Dr Tamilarasan.
However, the good news is that the prevalence of COVID in COPD patients is very low, as patients are taking precautions, doctors said.
In an analysis presented by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) in October, only 1 in 20 (5%) observed patients hospitalised with Covid suffered from COPD.
This was gleaned from analysis of 22 studies from eight countries that included more than 11,000 patients hospitalised with Covid.
However, the analysis showed that mortality rates were higher for patients with COPD.