Mrs. Labbate attends exercise sessions twice a week where she's developed friendships with fellow program participants. She marvels at how well she and the participants do week-to-week.

A progressive disease of the airways, COPD slowly takes its toll on the body as the lungs gradually lose functioning. "I believe I must have had COPD long before I was diagnosed," she said, noting she remembers feeling the effects of the disease years ago.

Mrs. Labbate's symptoms may have been masked when she was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago and irregular arrhythmia shortly thereafter. "Everything was difficult to do," she explained. "I would clean for a bit and then I would have to stop. And, I loved cooking, but COPD really slowed me down."

That's until she visited with Peter Spiegler, MD, Medical Director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Respiratory Care at Winthrop, who confirmed COPD with a lung function test. He placed her on a course of medication and a two-day-per-week exercise regimen at Winthrop's Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center. He also directed her to Winthrop's Eager Breathers (WEB) support group.

Mrs. A simple test of lung functioning to confirm COPD, spirometry involves breathing as fast and as hard as possible into a tube after taking a deep breath.

At the Center, she exercises in the company of other COPD patients, who are a circle of friends she relies on. The support from the group and her therapists quickly got her on the path to an improved sense of well-being.

"After the program's completion, Mrs. Labbate has continued using the skills she learned during rehab, and as a result, she has been able to successfully maintain a quality of life close to what she had prior to her diagnosis," said Mara Bernstein, LRT, Administrative Director, Outpatient Services, Winthrop.

(L-R) Alan Lurie, RRT, Winthrop; Dolores Labbate, COPD patient; Peter Spiegler, MD, Medical Director, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center and Respiratory Care, Winthrop.

According to national health reports, an estimated 24 million adults have impaired lung function, indicating that COPD, which is incurable, is underdiagnosed. Since COPD is typically linked to smoking and only some of the damage is reversible, early detection and smoking cessation are stressed.

COPD FACTS:
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:
• COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.
• The most important risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking.
• COPD symptoms range from chronic cough and sputum production to severe, disabling shortness of breath.