COPD Stages and the Gold Criteria - WebMD

GOLD helps raise awareness of COPD and works with doctors and other health experts to create better ways to prevent and treat this condition. It ... MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsBlogsVideosMedicationsFindaPulmonologistWhatIsCOPD?CausesSymptomsDiagnosisCOPDStagesFlare-UpsTreatmentforCOPDCOPDComplicationsWhatAretheStagesofCOPD?StageI(Early)StageII(Moderate)StageIII(Severe)StageIV(VerySevere)QuitSmokingAssessmentEmphysemaChronicBronchitisAsthmaAATDeficiencyOxygenTherapySmokingCessationMoreRelatedTopicsLungDisease&RespiratoryHealthCOPDReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyMineshKhatri, MDonJuly29,2021ArticlesOnStagesofCOPDWhatAretheStagesofCOPD?StageI(Early)StageII(Moderate)StageIII(Severe)StageIV(VerySevere)Chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease (COPD)maysoundlikeasinglecondition,butitincludesseveralkindsof lungdiseases.Allofthemcanmakeyoufeelbreathless.Doctorsusestagestodescribehowsevereyour COPD is.ThissystemiscalledtheGOLDstagingorgradingsystem.Yourgradewillaffectwhattreatmentyouget.Thesystemlooksatmanythings.Thebasicideaistounderstandhowsevereyour COPD isandwhattypeoftreatmentyouneed.WhatIstheGOLDSystemforGradingCOPD?TheGOLDsystembasesthestageofyourCOPDonseveralthings:YoursymptomsHowmanytimesyourCOPDhasgottenworseAnytimesyou’vehadtostayinthehospitalbecauseyourCOPDhasgottenworseResultsfromspirometry,atestthatcheckstheamountofairandspeedthatyoucanexhaleGOLDstandsfortheGlobalInitiativeforChronic ObstructiveLungDisease.TheNational Heart, Lung,and Blood Institute,NationalInstitutesofHealth,andtheWorldHealthOrganizationstarteditin1997.GOLDhelpsraiseawarenessofCOPDandworkswithdoctorsandotherhealthexpertstocreatebetterwaystopreventandtreatthiscondition.ItalsocreatestheguidelinesmostdoctorsusetoclassifyandtreatCOPD.SpirometryandYourCOPDStageSpirometryresultsarebasedontwomeasurements:Forcedvitalcapacity(FVC). Thisisthelargestamountofairyoucan breathe outafterbreathinginasdeeplyasyoucan.Forcedexpiratoryvolume(FEV-1). FEV-1showshowmuchairyoucanexhalefromyour lungs in1second.GOLDStagesorGradesTheoriginalGOLDsystemusedthetermstagestorefertothedifferentlevelsofCOPD.Nowthey’recalledgrades.Expertsbelievethisnewsystemallowsdoctorstobettermatchpatientswiththerighttreatments.TheoriginalstagesalsoreliedonlyonFEVresults.Butnowdoctorsconsiderotherthings,too.Yourdoctorwillassigngradestothesefourthings:HowsevereyourcurrentsymptomsareYourspirometryresultsThechancesthatyourCOPDwillgetworseThepresenceofotherhealthproblemsSymptomGradesYou’llanswersomequestions,eitherontheCOPDAssessmentTest(CAT)ortheModifiedMedicalResearchCouncil(mMRC).CATscoresrangefrom0-40andmMRCscoreshavefivegrades.Forexample,ifyoureportthatyouonlygetwindedwhenyoudohard exercise,youmighthavemMRCgrade0.Ifyoureportbeingsobreathlessyoucan’tevenleavethehouseorgetdressed,youcouldhavemMRCgrade4.SpirometryGradesTocheckhowwellyourlungswork,yourdoctorwilllookatyourspirometryresults.Theseresultshavefourgrades,too:GOLD1:MildGOLD2:ModerateGOLD3:SevereGOLD4:VerysevereExacerbationRiskAnotherthingthat’spartofyouroverallCOPDassessmentisyourexacerbation risk.Anexacerbationisatimewhenyour COPDsymptomsgetsomuchworsethatyouneedtomakeachangeinyour medication.Yourdoctormightalsocallitaflare.Theseflare-upsaremorelikelyifyourspirometryresultisGOLD3orGOLD4.OtherHealthProblemsYourdoctorwillconsiderotherhealthproblemsyouhave,too.It’sallpartofgradingyourCOPDanddecidingwhattypeoftreatmentisbestforyou.COPDGroupsBasedonallofthesethings--yoursymptoms,spirometryresults,andexacerbationrisk--yourdoctorwillputyourCOPDintooneofthesegroups:GroupA: Lowrisk,fewer symptomsGroupB: Lowrisk,moresymptomsGroupC: Highrisk,fewer symptomsGroupD: Highrisk,moresymptomsIfyouhavequestionsaboutanytermsthatyourdoctoruses--whether“grades”or“groups,”ask.There’salotofinformationoutthere,andthebestwaytocontrolyourCOPDistolearnasmuchasyoucanaboutit.COPDStagesYoumayhearpeopletalkabouttheoldsystem,whichstagedCOPDbasedonyourFEV-1scorealone.Therewerefourstages:Stage1--Mild--FEV-1≥80%:Youmayhavenosymptoms.Youmightbeshortofbreathwhenwalkingfastonlevelgroundorclimbingaslighthill.Stage2--Moderate--FEV-150-79%:Ifyou’rewalkingonlevelground,youmighthavetostopevery­fewminutestocatchyourbreath.Stage3--Severe--FEV-130-49%:Youmaybetooshortofbreathtoleavethehouse.Youmightgetbreathlessdoingsomethingassimpleasdressingandundressing.Stage4--VerySevere--FEV-1≤30%:Youmighthavelungorheartfailure.Thiscanmakeithardtocatchyourbreathevenwhenyou’reresting.Youmighthearthiscalledend-stageCOPD.CanYouPostponeAdvancedorEnd-StageCOPD?ItdependsonhowadvancedyourCOPDisandhowwellyourespondtotreatment.Notwopeoplearethesame.Butfollowingthesestepsforahealthylifestylecanhelp:Don’tsmoke.Ifyoudo,gethelptoquit.Avoidunhealthyair.Keepawayfromdust,fumes,andsmoke.Stayinsideonbadairdays.Getayearlyflushot.Askyourdoctorifyouneedthepneumoniavaccine,too.Eathealthyfood.Talktoyourdoctorabouthowtokeepyourweightwhereitshouldbe.Keepmoving.Makesureyougetenoughexercise.NextInStagesofCOPDStageI(Early)[vid_icon]DiagnosingCOPDCOPDandHeartFailure:What'stheDifference?5TipstoImproveYourQualityofLifeWithCOPD[ss_icon]ExercisingWithCOPD:10MovesYouCanDoQuiz:Myths&FactsAboutCOPDWhatIsPulmonaryRehab?VisualGuideToBronchitis:Symptoms,HowLongItLasts,RecoveryUnderstandingandTreatingCOPDLivingWithCOPD:HouseholdHazardstoAvoidCOPD:WaystoAvoidWeightLossBreathingWithCOPDCOPDandSexCOPD(ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease)ChronicBronchitisTopicsHavingTroubleBreathing?CheckyourCOPDrisk.COPDMythsandFactsWhatisthetopcauseofthiscondition?WhatIsCOPD?7earlywarningsigns.MovetoBreatheEasier10exercisesforpeopleWithCOPD.Article4CommonSymptomsofEmphysemaARTICLEDevicesThatCanHelpTreatCOPDVIDEODiagnosingCOPDArticle3CausesofEmphysemaSlideshowEnergy-BoostingFoodsforCOPDArticleCOPDandHeartFailureArticleBreathingExercisesforCOPDSlideshowExerciseandCOPD:10MovesforYouCOPD101CanSupplementsHelpCOPD?HowtoUseYourInhalerDiagnosingCOPD5TipsforUsingInhaledMedicineLivingWithCOPD:10FAQsHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads