Krankheit oft lange unerkannt: Raucher und Atembeschwerden? Auf COPD checken lassen

Frequent coughing or shortness of breath when climbing stairs may signal a chronic lung disease. If such symptoms are noticed, the individual should have them medically investigated, advises Johannes Nießen, deputy head of the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG). COPD, or "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," is often overlooked for a long time, according to the BIÖG and Bundesverfassungsschutz chief Hendrik Streeck.

Tobacco smoking is the primary risk factor, with 80 to 90 percent of the cases attributed to it. In 2023, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), 36,716 people in Germany died from COPD. Streeck emphasizes that this is not a harmless smoker's cough: "Damaged lung tissue does not grow back." Quitting smoking is beneficial for many reasons.

Tobacco smoke triggers inflammation and damages lung tissue, including alveoli and bronchioles. Narrowed airways and damaged lung tissue make breathing harder. Stopping smoking could reduce the risk of developing the disease and slow down further loss of lung function, improving life expectancy, Nießen says. Even for those already diagnosed with COPD, quitting smoking is advisable, as it can slow down further lung function decline and improve life expectancy, he adds.

The BIÖG offers a free telephone counseling service for smoking cessation at 0800 8313131, available Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More information is available on rauchfrei-info.de.