The doctor named five signs of dangerous changes in the lungs

Chronic morning cough, shortness of breath during normal exercise, frequent prolonged bronchitis, wheezing and decreased endurance may indicate dangerous changes in the lungs. Sergey Avdeev, chief freelance pulmonologist of the Russian Ministry of Health, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia on May 28.

According to the specialist, lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can develop over the years and manifest themselves with subtle symptoms for a long time. One of the first signs the doctor called a morning cough, especially if it persists for several months.

"This is the earliest and most ignored symptom. The man wakes up, clears his throat, and moves on. He considers it the norm. In fact, a chronic morning cough is a reason for examination," he said.

The medical definition of a chronic cough is a cough that lasts for more than eight weeks. Morning cough with sputum can be a symptom of the onset of COPD, as mucus accumulates in the bronchi overnight. If morning cough persists for more than three months a year for two consecutive years, this corresponds to the definition of chronic bronchitis and requires consultation with a pulmonologist and spirometry.

Epidemic prologue: the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza is growing in 20 regions

The number of patients is increasing due to temperature fluctuations

Avdeev called shortness of breath during habitual activity another alarming sign. At first, it can appear when running and exercising intensively, then when climbing several floors, walking normally, getting dressed, taking a shower, and even at rest. If a person cannot climb to the third floor without stopping and experiencing severe shortness of breath, they should consult a doctor.

Frequent "colds" and prolonged bronchitis can also indicate lung problems. According to the pulmonologist, if each acute respiratory viral infection ends with bronchitis, which lasts three to four weeks, this may indicate changes in the lungs. With COPD, the airways are constantly inflamed, narrowed, and filled with excess mucus, which is why patients get sick more often and more severely.

Separately, the doctor advised to pay attention to wheezing, wheezing and decreased exercise tolerance. Such symptoms may be associated with narrowing of the respiratory tract, as well as COPD, bronchial asthma, heart failure, and other conditions.

"If you have at least one of these signs, plus you are at risk, act. Make an appointment with a pulmonologist or therapist, undergo spirometry — this is the main test for COPD diagnosis, it takes 15 minutes, follow the doctor's recommendations. Remember, the lungs don't have pain receptors, focus on other signals," he said.

Early detection of disorders provides more opportunities for disease control. When treated at an early stage, it is possible to slow the progression of COPD and preserve the quality of life. The doctor emphasized that this chronic disease requires systematic monitoring and treatment.

On January 27, the Ministry of Health reduced the list of drugs recommended for the treatment of influenza, reducing the number of names from more than 50 to 39. Thus, psychostimulants, penicillins, tetracyclines, macrolides and other drugs were excluded from the list of medicines that will be used for flu patients.