What is the life expectancy at stage 1?
In stage 1, patients are only marginally affected by COPD. Chronic symptoms may be absent, but coughing, sputum and shortness of breath during heavy physical exertion are typical. The lung function test is inconspicuous, many patients do not yet know anything about their lung disease.
On average, the life expectancy of a patient with COPD decreases by 5-7 years compared to the healthy normal population without COPD. However, accurate prognoses about life expectancy are always difficult to make, as many individual factors play an important role. In stage 1, FEV1 values (forced exspiratory volume, one-second capacity) reach almost normal values, ranging from 1.5-4 liters depending on sex and age. Life expectancy is only slightly limited in stage 1.
What is the life expectancy in stage 2?
In stage 2, patients are moderately restricted by COPD. Chronic symptoms may also be absent, but occur more frequently. Lung function is slightly restricted and is between 50 and 80 percent of normal. The one-second capacity of the lung continues to decrease, in non-smoking COPD patients by about 30ml per year, in smokers with COPD even by up to 90ml per year. At this stage, a stop smoking, the avoidance of harmful substances in the air we breathe, a healthy lifestyle, regular respiratory training/gymnastics and consistent drug therapy can have a clearly positive effect on life expectancy.
What is the life expectancy in stage 3
In stage 3, patients are severely restricted by COPD, and the chronic symptoms increase in frequency and severity. Lung function is significantly restricted and is between 30 and 50 percent of normal. If the one-second capacity is between 750ml and 1250ml, the average life expectancy is about 5 years.
However, accurate predictions about life expectancy are always difficult to make, as many individual factors play an important role. Even at this stage, life expectancy can be positively influenced by stopping smoking, avoiding pollutants in the air we breathe, a healthy lifestyle, regular respiratory training/gymnastics and consistent drug therapy. Life expectancy is also positively influenced by 24-hour oxygen therapy if the respiratory performance of the lungs continues to decrease and oxygen therapy is started early enough.
