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“If you’re short of breath, get tested. It’s just that simple.”
If you have found your way here, it’s very likely you, or someone you care about, has difficulty breathing. Perhaps it is asthma or emphysema. Or, maybe you have been told it is something called COPD.
Because there are many causes for breathing difficulties, it is critical you consult with a physician if you, or someone you know, suffer from shortness of breath. Everyone who experiences trouble breathing deserves to know why and what can be done about it.
Sometimes breathing difficulties are caused by an “obstruction” in a person’s airways. A chronic breathing problem caused by such an obstruction (air blockage) is known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
If you become breathless while performing simple tasks around the house or at work, you may have COPD, emphysema, or irreversible adult onset asthma. These diseases, in turn, may be caused by a genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, or Alpha-1.
Alpha-1 also is known as “genetic emphysema” because it is caused by a detectable genetic flaw and may not be the result of smoking or other exposure to substances harmful to the lungs.
Concerns about COPD, COPD misdiagnosis, and Alpha-1 have prompted the American Thoracic Society (ATS) to issue the following new guidelines:
People diagnosed with COPD, emphysema, adult onset asthma, or asthma in which difficulty breathing cannot be reversed with available treatments should get tested for Alpha-1 as stated in the ATS/ERS Standards for the Diagnosis and Management of Alpha-1.
All it takes to get tested for Alpha-1 is a visit to your family physician. If you do not have a family physician and would like to find an Alpha-1 expert in your area, please click here.
You will be able to find more information about COPD and Alpha-1 by exploring this Web site.
If you’re short of breath, get tested. It’s just that simple. |
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