COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is common. The pooled global prevalence is 15% in men and 9% in women. The expanding epidemic of smoking and the ageing of the population means that its prevalence is increasing. And COPD is a serious disease. It is associated with recurrent pneumonia, cor pulmonale, and respiratory failure. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks to Dr. Hanna Sandelowsky, GP, Head of Unit at the Academic Primary Healthcare Centre, and Senior Researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

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