Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name of a group of lung conditions which cause breathing problems. These breathing problems tend to get gradually worse over time and can impact on people’s overall health, limit their day-to-day activities, and can ultimately be fatal.

About 90% of COPD cases are linked to smoking, and smoking cessation therefore plays an important role in both prevention and management.

In 2021 to 2022, the prevalence of COPD among patients registered with Waltham Forest GPs was 0.9% (2,800 patients in total), which is below both the national (1.9%) and regional average (1.1%).

Source: OHID Public health profiles. Data from Quality and Outcomes Framework (NHS Digital). Date accessed: 08 June 2023.

Note: Recorded disease prevalence on GP patient registers is influenced both by the underlying prevalence of the condition in the wider population and the extent to which these cases have been diagnosed and recorded on primary care systems.