SKH Doctor on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Management

Over 80% of local Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) cases are linked to smoking, though non-smokers can also develop the disease through workplace exposure to dust or chemicals, indoor air pollution, or respiratory infections, according to Dr Jessica Tan Han Ying, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Respiratory Medicine, SKH. She noted that COPD mainly affects adults aged 50 and above, emphasising that symptoms are often mistaken for natural ageing, leading to delayed diagnosis, and encouraged early medical consultation rather than waiting until breathing becomes severely compromised. Timely treatment can help maintain physical strength and quality of life.

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