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Clinical History and Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Article information

J Korean Med Assoc. 2006;49(4):313-320
Publication date (electronic) : 2006 April 30
doi : https://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2006.49.4.313
Kwan-Ho Lee, M.D.
Division of Pulmonary-Allergology/Department of Internal Medicine, Yeungnam University College of Medicine & Hospital, Korea. ghlee@med.yu.ac.kr

Abstract

Patients with COPD typically present when they are older than 50 years of age, and about 80% of them are male. Clinically the patients with COPD present with cough, sputum, and dyspnea that are gradually progressive over years. Other symptoms are wheezing, hemoptysis, and chest tightness. In many patients with COPD, physical examination reveals no significant findings especially during quiet breathing. As the disease becomes more severe, patients demonstrate more apparent physical signs. The assessment of the lung function is essential to establish the diagnosis and to determine the severity of COPD. The spirometry is the most important test for diagnosing and staging COPD. Office spirometry is a feasible testing strategy to diagnose patients with the early stage of COPD and may be used to encourage smoking cessation. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) recommends to define the severity of COPD and a stepwise approach for the management of COPD.

Keywords: Clinical manifestation, Diagnosis; COPD

References

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Article information Continued

Copyright © 2006 Korean Medical Association

Figure 1

Figure 1

Pulmonary function test in patients with COPD

Figure 2

Figure 2

Chest X-ray of emphysema

Figure 3

Figure 3

Chest X-ray of chronic bronchitis

Figure 4

Figure 4

Chest C-T scan of emphysema

Table 1

Causes of chronic cough with a normal chest X-ray

Table 1

Table 2

Clinical indices to suspect COPD

Table 2

Table 3

Classification of severity of COPD

Table 3

Table 4

Differential diagnosis of COPD

Table 4