Calidad de vida y enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a progressive and irreversible character and is associate to the triad of the dyspnea, limitation of the exercise and the evident deterioration of the quality of life. In the United States the prevalence of COPD in the adult population is approximately of 6% in men and 1 a 3% in women and is the fourth cause of mortality by no transmissible chronic diseases. In 1993 the National Health Interview Surgery, considered that 12 millions Americans underwent chronic bronchitis and 2 million had emphysema. These two affections accamited for more of than 13% of the hospitalizations. As this affection progresses, patients experience a diminution of quality of life related to the health (CVRS), its capacity to work gets worse and diminishes its participation in physical and social activities. Nevertheless, it has been confirmed that the isolated evaluation of the gravity of the COPD, defined by the degree of reduction of the volume expiratory forced in the first second (FEV¹) does not provide sufficient information to know state of health perceived by the patients. The fact that the CVRS is the result of the interaction of multiple physical factors, psychological and social, unique for each individual, it can to explain this finding. This peper, is a general and updated approach to the integral of the patients with COPD, and discusses the concept of quality of life as related to the improvement of health.