Birmingham, AL — Pulmonary Associates of the Southeast, PC will host their 6th annual COPD Awareness Day featuring free screenings on Wednesday, Nov. 13. This event is in conjunction with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI’s) COPD Learn More Breathe Better® campaign in observance of National COPD Awareness Month.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. COPD, also known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, recently surpassed stroke becoming the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are diagnosed with COPD and an additional 12 million are likely to have the disease and don’t even know it.
“Unfortunately, many people who are at risk for COPD dismiss early symptoms as a normal result of aging or being out of shape. This year during National COPD Awareness Month, Pulmonary Associates of the Southeast is providing free screenings and testing to help individuals who may be at risk for COPD recognize the signs and symptoms in themselves or their loved ones,” said Debi Waldrup, Pulmonary Associates of the Southeast Administrator.
This year’s free screenings will take place at the offices of Pulmonary Associates located at 800 Montclair Road, Professional Office Building 880, 1st Floor. This is located on the Trinity Medical Center campus. Spirometry, a test for COPD, and Alpha 1, a test for emphysema, will be provided at no-charge from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. There will also be information and education on lung disease as well as snacks, give-a-ways, and door prizes.
Anyone can have trouble breathing once in a while. But for people who have COPD debilitating symptoms such as chronic cough, wheezing and shortness of breath can seem relentless. As COPD progresses, symptoms tend to get worse and cause more damage to the lungs. Through the Annual COPD Awareness Day event, the physicians of Pulmonary Associates of the Southeast are working to help people who suffer from COPD understand that with proper diagnosis and treatment they can breathe easier and enjoy an improved quality of life.
“COPD is a common disease that affects one in five adults over the age of 45, but COPD is a treatable disease,” said James Kiley, Ph.D., director of the Division of Lung Diseases at the NHLBI, part of the National Institutes of Health. “If you or someone you know is exhibiting the symptoms of COPD, we encourage you to take time during National COPD Awareness Month to listen to your lungs and talk to a health care provider about your symptoms. By taking a simple breathing test called spirometry, you can be diagnosed and begin receiving treatment that can help make daily activities easier.”
For more information, visit www.pulmonarydocs.com or www.COPD.nhlbi.nih.gov.
