More than 11.7 million Americans live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the country, with more than 186,000 adults affected. Rachel Leonard, M.D., WVU Medicine pulmonologist, recently outlined COPD prevalence and the advanced treatment options now available for it.

COPD is a chronic lung disease marked by airflow obstruction, often caused by long-term smoking. In West Virginia, the burden is compounded by occupational exposure, particularly among coal miners and others who work in environments with dust or airway irritants. Early life lung development issues, uncontrolled asthma and certain genetic factors can also contribute.

Symptoms tend to develop slowly. Patients commonly experience shortness of breath with exertion or a persistent, mucus-producing cough, especially in the morning. Diagnosis is confirmed with spirometry, a breathing test that detects airway narrowing during exhalation.

Treatment has expanded significantly in recent years. Long-acting inhalers remain the standard starting point, reducing symptoms and preventing flare-ups that accelerate disease progression. For patients with emphysema, WVU Medicine offers both surgical lung volume reduction and non-surgical endobronchial valve therapy – a minimally invasive procedure via bronchoscopy without incisions.

Although there is no cure for COPD, Leonard stresses that patients should not delay seeking care.

“Never too late,” she said. “Once they come and they get started on the right treatment, patients are amazed at how much better they feel.”

Prevention and early intervention remain crucial. Avoiding smoking or quitting as early as possible are the most effective ways to reduce risk and slow disease progression.

Leonard discussed COPD, treatment advancements and prevention in a recent episode of Live Healthy West Virginia.

For more information about COPD care at WVU Medicine, visit WVUMedicine.org/WVUM-Services/Primary-Care/North-Central/COPD-Asthma.