COPD

What is COPD?

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is a long-term lung disease. COPD slowly damages the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. COPD makes airways swollen and partly blocked by mucus. It also damages the tiny air sacs at the tips of your airways. This makes it hard to move air in and out of your lungs.

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. Respiratory diseases of all kinds were responsible for 41.2 per 100,000 of the deaths in SCHR and 47.4 per 100,000 in the province (Statistics Canada 2005/2007).

In countries like Canada, smoking causes about 80 per cent of COPD cases. Other things that can cause COPD are:

• second-hand smoke
• air pollution (dust or chemicals)
• having repeated lung infections as a child
• a rare condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

What is a COPD Clinic?

COPD Clinics are held in Sun Country Health Region through the Rural West Primary Health Team (Radville, Pangman, Ogema, and Bengough), in Carlyle, Weyburn and Estevan.

• The clinics are held on a regular basis. Advance appointments are necessary.
• Appointments are made through a physician referral. A patient who has been previously diagnosed with COPD can refer themselves.  
• Appointments last 2 to 2 ½ hours. 

Patients attending COPD clinics receive team-based care from a team of trained health professionals. The teams a physiotherapist, pharmacist, and dietitian, and may include a nurse practitioner. The team addresses disease specific management (e.g. breathing techniques), education (answering the patient’s questions and providing relevant information on key areas of COPD), and supportive self-management (e.g. helping patients develop their goals).

This is a departure from the traditional methods of providing health care to clients. These clinics provide a team approach to enhance patient care. 

Contact information:

Carlyle .......................       Carlyle Primary Health Clinic            306-453-6795
Estevan ......................       St. Joseph’s Hospital of Estevan       306-637-2407
Radville/Bengough.......        Rural West Team                            306-869-3111
Weyburn ....................        Primary Health                               306-842-8722

Spirometry Testing

Spirometry is the most reliable way to test your lungs for COPD.  Spirometry is a common and effective diagnostic lung test and is done to diagnose or re-evaluate COPD. Spirometry testing is available and is done in collaboration with the COPD clinics

Focus on treatment for chronic diseases

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health has asked all regional health authorities in the province to focus on improving treatment for patients with six chronic diseases. The six are COPD, asthma, depression, diabetes, coronary artery disease leading to heart attack and congestive heart failure.

Research in Canada shows reduced emergency room use, reduced hospitalization of patients and more efficient use of doctors’ services with this team-based care model. 

Patients with chronic conditions like COPD are more knowledgeable about their health conditions, enjoy better health and better access to specialist services with this type of team-base care.  The teams can include a nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physiotherapist, and dietitian.