COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a chronic airway restrictiction, mainly associated with tobacco smoke. It is a subdiagnosed, with a high morbimortality, which is a high problem for public health. COPD is a complex disease  with a heterogeneus clinical presentation, where there migth define different phenotypes with different clinical effects, prognosis and therapeutic. Respirable crystaline silica increases the likelihood of develop COPD and this risk is even higher in patients affected by silicosis.

In order to diagnose COPD, as well as clinical history and physical examination, the key test is the spirometry, whose implementation should be carried out according to the best quality technical criterion.