COPD can be managed effectively.

During discussions at the 2025 Annual Scientific Conference of the Vietnam Respiratory Society, recently held in Da Nang, leading respiratory experts suggested that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be brought under stable control.

Professor, Doctor Ngo Quy Chau, President of the Vietnam Respiratory Society, chaired the satellite workshop "Optimizing Benefits for COPD Patients: From Prevention to Treatment".

With the theme "Collaboration for Lung Health," the annual Respiratory Society Scientific Conference brought together leading experts in the field of respiratory medicine from Vietnam and abroad. Within the framework of the conference, the satellite workshop "Optimizing Benefits for COPD Patients: From Prevention to Treatment," co-organized by GSK Vietnam, provided a comprehensive overview of COPD management through solutions for preventing infections in COPD patients and optimizing treatment to help COPD patients achieve disease stability.

Associate Professor, Doctor Le Khac Bao, Director of the Center for Medical Education , Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, and senior doctor at the Viet Lung Respiratory Clinic, shared that COPD is a chronic respiratory disease that cannot be completely cured, but it can be controlled and stabilized. Comprehensive COPD management strategies, from treatment to prevention, will contribute positively to helping patients achieve long-term stability.

"Disease stabilization" in COPD is an ambitious treatment goal, which can be understood as: no moderate/severe exacerbations; no deterioration of the patient's health; and stable lung function.

According to Associate Professor Le Khac Bao, healthcare professionals play a crucial role in achieving this goal, with four key changes that should be considered: empathy for the impact of COPD on patients, effective communication, using easily understandable language appropriate to the patient; agreement on treatment goals between doctor and patient; recognition that disease "stabilization" is achievable, and selection of appropriate treatment regimens.

Associate Professor, Doctor Le Khac Bao shared his insights at the conference.

Analyzing two clinical cases (a 68-year-old patient diagnosed with COPD group E, with frequent exacerbations, and a 75-year-old patient with COPD group B, co-morbid with diabetes and ischemic heart disease), Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong, Head of the Respiratory Internal Medicine Department at Gia Dinh People's Hospital, believes that individualized assessment and consultation are necessary for each specific clinical situation. COPD not only affects respiratory function but also contributes to weakened immune responses, making patients more susceptible to infections, including influenza, shingles, and diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Some data indicates that shingles in COPD patients increases the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia by 53%. Furthermore, shingles also impacts underlying respiratory conditions. Specifically, studies in COPD patients with a history of shingles showed that approximately 26% experienced worsening of COPD symptoms or dyspnea; and an increase of about 12% in the incidence of COPD exacerbations. On the other hand, regarding RSV, the rate of admission to intensive care in COPD patients infected with RSV was 17.9%.

Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong affirmed that preventing infectious diseases, especially in the group of people aged 50 and older with underlying conditions such as COPD, is increasingly considered an important part of a comprehensive care strategy for chronic respiratory patients. This is an effective measure to minimize the dual risks from both infectious diseases and underlying chronic diseases. The treating physician plays a crucial role in the infection prevention strategy for COPD patients, not only as the direct treatment provider but also as a "total protector" for the patient.

Professor and Doctor Ngo Quy Chau, President of the Vietnam Respiratory Society, stated: “Helping COPD patients achieve ‘disease stability’ through prevention and optimized treatment is a crucial goal in an effective COPD management strategy, aiming to maintain their long-term health. The active collaboration of all parties with the Vietnam Respiratory Society in continuously updating scientific and technological knowledge from treatment to prevention for medical staff, while raising community awareness (especially about chronic diseases like COPD), has been creating positive changes in clinical practice and the quality of COPD treatment as well as prevention in Vietnam.”

Source: https://nhandan.vn/benh-copd-co-the-duoc-kiem-soat-on-dinh-post900668.html