Respiratory experts at Royal Brompton Hospital conclude in Clinical Science[1] today that regular exercise can help to protect the lungs from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
By reviewing the scientific literature, the team at Royal Brompton found that there is now clear evidence that exercise has a protective effect against the development of serious lung disease, including COPD.
COPD is an umbrella term for a number of conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Such conditions are progressive and irreversible and kill approximately 30,000 people a year in the UK – more than breast, bowel or prostate cancer.
People with COPD can become breathless during everyday activities such as climbing a flight of stairs, or even getting washed and dressed in the morning, and it is well known that they avoid physical activity because of these difficulties. However, this lack of exercise can make symptoms of the disease worse, leading to more admissions to hospital and, in some cases, severe muscle weakness.
Dr. Nicholas Hopkinson, consultant respiratory physician at Royal Brompton Hospital, said, “ We recognise that breathlessness can be very frightening and people with lung problems often stop doing exercise or things that may make them feel breathless. In the long run, they become more unfit, which will make their symptoms worse.
“However, we have now found that moderate exercise can improve the symptoms of disease by reducing inflammation of the lungs and increasing resistance to infections, while people who do not take exercise are at a significantly higher risk of developing COPD.
“At both Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital, we have pulmonary rehabilitation gyms that try to break this vicious cycle. After patients have completed a carefully tailored programme, they should be able to manage their breathlessness better and become a little more active.
“What our review has shown is that keeping active can help people who already have lung disease, and can protect the lungs of people who don’t.”
COPD is a long-term, incurable condition that can have serious effects on health and quality of life. It is a major and growing public health problem affecting about 10 per cent of people over the age of 40 worldwide. By 2020, COPD could become the third largest cause of death. In the UK alone, just under a million people are diagnosed with the condition.
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For further information please contact:
Joanna Nurse, communications manager
Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
Tel: 020 7352 8121 ext 2237 (Brompton)
Tel: 01895 828 877 (Harefield)
Mobile: 07891 955904
Email: J.Nurse@rbht.nhs.uk
Notes to editors:
Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK and among the largest in Europe. The Trust helps patients from all age groups who have heart and lung problems.
People over the age of 35 who smoke are at risk of developing irreparable lung disease. A study by the British Lung Foundation found that 85 per cent of smokers have never heard of COPD, which affects not only a person’s ability to breathe, but also limits their social and daily life.
COPD is also linked to exposure to environmental pollution and hazards at work including dust, fumes and gases. The Trust helps over 8,000 adults who have breathing problems caused by diseases such as COPD and severe asthma.
Clinical Science (2010) 118 (Printed in Great Britain)
