COPD Through the Lens of Science: The Most Important Questions and Answers for Patients According to the GOLD 2023 Report
- Health Communicator
- Jun 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 9
This article is entirely based on the latest and most comprehensive scientific report from the GOLD initiative (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease), published in 2023 in the prestigious American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The document was developed by an international team of leading experts in pulmonary diseases and clinical medicine, including Prof. Alvar Agustí (University Hospital Barcelona), Prof. Bartolome Celli (Harvard Medical School, USA), Prof. Gerard Criner (Temple University, USA), Prof. David Halpin (University of Exeter, UK), and more than 15 established scientists and physicians from Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. Their expertise covers both clinical practice and fundamental science, epidemiology, diagnostics, and therapy for COPD. The questions and answers presented below have been selected to provide practical, up-to-date, and science-based information for patients and their families—drawn directly from the published report.
“COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable disease—provided it is recognized and managed in time.”
Why Expert Opinion Matters for COPD Patients
COPD is one of the most serious and widespread health challenges worldwide. Patients and their families often face many questions: How is the diagnosis made? What are the causes and risk factors? How is it treated, and what are the latest approaches? What should be expected during worsening episodes? What is the relationship between COPD and other diseases? In this context, we present five key expert insights and quotes from the authoritative GOLD 2023 report, offering the most current and practical answers for patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
1. What’s New in the Definition of COPD? – Expert View on the Nature of the Disease
“GOLD 2023 defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, cough, expectoration, and/or exacerbations) due to abnormalities of the airways (bronchitis, bronchiolitis) and/or alveoli (emphysema) that cause persistent, often progressive, airflow obstruction.”
