Up to 380,000 people in Ireland have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), however many of these remain undiagnosed and untreated, COPD Support Ireland has warned.

The national charity is calling for major investment in this area.

COPD is an umbrella term for a number of chronic lung disorders, including bronchitis and emphysema. It is a progressive, disabling condition caused by a narrowing of the airways. Smoking is the main cause and symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest and a chronic cough.

The charity is highlighting this issue for World COPD Day (November 16) and as part of this event, it has launched a national advice line, which is operated by respiratory nurse specialists.

COPD is currently the fourth most common cause of death in Ireland and this country has the highest hospitalisation rates for the condition among 31 OECD countries.

The charity is calling for spirometry (lung function) testing to be made available in primary care for people at risk of COPD, as well as an increase in overall investment in both primary and secondary care services.

"It's clear we have a COPD crisis on our hands, which is only going to get worse," commented COPD Support Ireland executive director, Damien Peelo.

He believes that if this condition is to be properly tackled, three things need to happen:
-All those with the condition need to be identified, through the provision of spirometry testing in primary care for those most at risk, i.e. over the age of 35 who are or have been smokers, have symptoms or have a family history
-Additional supports need to be provided in the community, e.g. the provision of more community outreach programmes in the home
-More investment in acute hospital services is needed, including the roll-out nationwide of pulmonary rehabilitation exercise programmes and the appointment of more specialist respiratory staff.

Mr Peelo noted that Ireland currently has the second lowest number of respiratory consultants in Europe, with one for every 80,000 people instead of the international recommendation of one for every 35,000 people.

Also commenting on this issue, Dr Marcus Butler, a consultant respiratory physician at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin, said that ‘the grim reality is that COPD is a major cause of death and disability in Ireland'. However, he added that this is ‘hardly surprising'.

"While a national programme for COPD exists, it has a small budget and continuity of care across primary and secondary care is poorly developed. For example, we know that pulmonary rehabilitation exercise programmes - which generally last for a period of eight weeks - give great benefit to patients.

"However, these are not in place in every acute hospital, and where they are present, can be intermittent in terms of delivery. There is no question but that they need to be present in all acute hospitals and continue consistently on a rolling basis throughout the year," he commented.

For more information on COPD, or to assess your risk online, click here

The new COPD national advice line is available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, at freephone 1800 83 21 46.