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COPD

Trial Overview

Our new COPD trial is for participants between the ages of 40-85 with moderate to very severe COPD. Severity of COPD is determined by breathing tests, also known as spirometry. You are compensated for your time and are provided thousands of dollars in medical care free of charge. There are no overnight visits and we offer flexibility in scheduling your clinic appointments.

Definition

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease, usually caused by smoking, in which the airways of the lungs narrow over time making it difficult to breathe. The narrowing of the lungs limits airflow, causing shortness of breath (dyspnea).

Description

COPD is often a mix of two diseases:

  • Chronic bronchitis. In chronic bronchitis, the airways that carry air to the lungs (bronchial tubes) get inflamed and make a lot of mucus. This can narrow or block the airways, making it hard for you to breathe.
  • Emphysema. In a healthy person, the tiny air sacs in the lungs are like balloons. As you breathe in and out, they get bigger and smaller to move air through your lungs. But with emphysema, these air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch. Less air gets in and out of the lungs, which makes you feel short of breath.

Causes and Symptoms

COPD is almost always caused by smoking. Over time, breathing tobacco smoke irritates the airways and destroys the stretchy fibers in the lungs.

Other things that may put you at risk include breathing chemical fumes, dust, or air pollution over a long period of time. Secondhand smoke is also bad.

It usually takes many years for the lung damage to start causing symptoms, so COPD is most common in people who are older than 60.

You may be more likely to get COPD if you had a lot of serious lung infections when you were a child.

The main symptoms of COPD are:

  • A long-lasting (chronic) cough
  • Mucus that comes up when you cough
  • Shortness of breath that gets worse when you exercise

As COPD gets worse, you may be short of breath even when you do simple things like get dressed or fix a meal. It gets harder to eat or exercise, and breathing takes much more energy. People often lose weight and get weaker.

At times, your symptoms may suddenly flare up and get much worse. This is called a COPD exacerbation. An exacerbation can range from mild to life-threatening. The longer you have COPD, the more severe these flare-ups will be.

Source

http://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/tc/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd-overview

If you have been diagnosed with COPD or have a history of COPD symptoms, contact us today to learn more about our current study opportunities for this diagnosis.

Call us at (701) 232-7705 or toll-free at (866) 532-7705.

Signup online or email our recruiter at recruiter(at)lillestolresearch(dot)com.

Your information is always kept confidential.