Findings highlight
communication gap between patients and physicians
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may
need more education and better dialogue with their physicians to
effectively manage the progressive respiratory condition and
potentially life-threatening complications known as exacerbations
(or flare-ups), according to key findings from the new, two-part
national COPE (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Experience) Survey initiative released today by the COPD
Foundation.
While COPD exacerbations are a leading cause of hospitalization
in the United States, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of COPD
patients surveyed admitted to not knowing much about them, and an
additional 16 percent did not know what an exacerbation was at all.
Sixty percent (60 percent) of COPD patients reported that they did
not have an action plan for dealing with a flare-up. By contrast,
in the part of the COPE Survey targeting physicians who treat COPD,
almost all of them said they discuss exacerbations (98 percent) and
establish action plans (92 percent) with their patients. This
suggests an opportunity to improve care through more productive,
meaningful communication between COPD patients and their
physicians.
COPD is a serious lung disease that affects an estimated 24
million Americans and which over time makes it more difficult to
breathe, partially because symptoms of the disease – such as
shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, and production
of excess mucus – come on slowly and continue to worsen.
Exacerbations are acute periods when symptoms suddenly get worse
and breathing becomes even more difficult. Once a patient has an
exacerbation – which can be mild, moderate, or severe – they are
more likely to experience another one. In fact, COPD patients in
the survey who experienced at least one exacerbation have suffered
through an average of 22 exacerbations in their lifetime.
“Exacerbations can have a devastating impact on overall health,
and they can actually cause COPD to progress even faster and reduce
lung function,” says Scott Cerreta, director of Education, COPD
Foundation. “Developing an action plan with instructions to help
patients – and their caregivers – identify warning signs and what
steps to take if an exacerbation should occur is a critical part of
managing COPD.”
Early detection and proper diagnosis of COPD are also critical
to managing the disease and slowing its progression, yet surveyed
COPD patients indicated that they experienced symptoms of the
disease for an average of two years and nine months prior to being
diagnosed. Furthermore, surveyed physicians reported that 39
percent of their patients had reached a “severe” or “very severe”
disease state by the time of diagnosis – results which indicate
there may be an opportunity for earlier detection and intervention.
Despite the importance of proper diagnosis of COPD severity, less
than half (49 percent) of physicians surveyed reported that they
always perform spirometry – a diagnostic tool that measures lung
function – to confirm a diagnosis.
Additionally, the survey revealed that only 12 percent of COPD
patients consider their condition to be “completely controlled” and
indicated that COPD disrupts patients’ ability to complete normal
daily activities such as exercising (87 percent), climbing stairs
(86 percent), and walking (77 percent). Yet surprisingly, 82
percent of patients who have a COPD treatment regimen said they are
satisfied with it, suggesting that many may be unaware that more
could be done.
“COPD can be treated – but it’s crucial for doctors to diagnose
it early and for patients to follow the appropriate therapeutic
strategies to improve symptoms, increase activity, and reduce the
chances of exacerbations,” said MeiLan Han, M.D., M.S., associate
professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical
Care at the University of Michigan. “It's important that physicians
develop an individualized approach that works best for each
patient.”
The COPE patient and physician surveys were conducted by The
COPD Foundation with support from Forest Laboratories, Inc., as
part of Forest’s MORE Matters education campaign. The initiative
aims to provide people living with COPD and their caregivers what
they want MORE of: education about the condition, helpful
resources, and the support needed to help them manage the disease.
Additional information can be found at
http://morematterswithcopd.com/.
About the COPD Patient Survey
The COPD patient survey was conducted online by Kelton Global
between December 18, 2013 and January 8, 2014 among 1,102 Americans
ages 40 and over who suffer from COPD, including chronic bronchitis
or emphysema. Results of any sample are subject to sampling
variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is
affected by the number of interviews and the level of the
percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the
margin of error for the total sample is +/- three percent at the 95
percent confidence interval. The margin of error for any subgroups
will be slightly higher.
About the Physician Survey
An online survey was conducted by M3 Global Research, a global
healthcare market research firm. Internet survey interviews among a
sample of 100 US pulmonologists and 100 primary care physicians
were conducted between December 2013 and January 2014. Quotas were
set by specialty and volume of COPD patients seen.
About COPD
COPD is a common, progressive, and debilitating lung disease
characterized by persistent airflow limitation that makes it hard
to breathe. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described COPD
as a global epidemic; an estimated 64 million people have COPD
worldwide. More than three million people died of the condition in
2005, which is equal to five percent of all deaths globally that
year. Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than
30 in the next 10 years without interventions to cut risks,
particularly exposure to tobacco smoke. WHO predicts that COPD will
become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. COPD is
already the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
In patients with COPD the airways in the lungs typically lose
their elasticity, produce excess mucus and become thick and
inflamed, limiting the passage of air. The most common symptoms of
COPD are breathlessness (or a "need for air"), abnormal sputum (a
mix of saliva and mucus in the airway), and chronic cough. As the
condition worsens and breathlessness increases, daily activities,
such as walking up a short flight of stairs or carrying a suitcase,
can become very difficult.
About the COPD Foundation
Celebrating its 10th Anniversary and a decade of progress, the
mission of the COPD Foundation (www.COPDFoundation.org) is to
prevent and cure chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to
improve the lives of all people affected by COPD. The C.O.P.D.
Information Line, 866-316-COPD (2673), is a toll-free number for
information and referrals on COPD, offering callers access to
peer-to-peer patients and caregiver associates.
About Forest Laboratories and Its Products
Forest Laboratories (NYSE:FRX) is a leading, fully integrated,
specialty pharmaceutical company largely focused on the United
States market. Forest markets a portfolio of branded drug products
and develops new medicines to treat patients suffering from
diseases principally in five therapeutic areas: central nervous
system, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and
anti-infective. Forest’s strategy of acquiring product rights for
development and commercialization through licensing, collaborative
partnerships and targeted mergers and acquisitions allows Forest to
take advantage of attractive late-stage development and commercial
opportunities, thereby managing the risks inherent in drug
development. In January 2014, Forest acquired Aptalis
Pharmaceuticals for $2.9 billion in cash in order to gain access to
its GI and Cystic Fibrosis products, including treatments for
Ulcerative Proctitis, Duodenal Ulcers, H. Pylori, Anal Fissures,
and Pancreatic Insufficiency. In February 2014, Forest and Actavis
plc announced an agreement where Forest would be acquired for about
$25 billion in cash and stock. The acquisition of Forest by Actavis
is contingent upon regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Forest is headquartered in New York, NY.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140617005140/en/
COPD FoundationStephanie Clark, 201-641-1911
x53sclark@cpronline.comorForest LaboratoriesAmanda
KaufmanAmanda.Kaufman@frx.com
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