Preventing and Managing Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases affect more than 81.7 million people across Europe. However, the actual figure may be much higher, as many people remain undiagnosed according to a report published in June 2025 by the World Health Organization/Europe and the European Respiratory Society. The report – the first to highlight the true scale of the problem – called for urgent co-ordinated action. Every year there are 6.8 million new diagnoses of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) across the WHO European Region.

What are chronic respiratory diseases?

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) affect the airways and structures of the lung. Risk factors for CRDs include tobacco smoke, air pollution, occupational chemicals and dust, and recurrent lower respiratory infections during childhood. Among the most common conditions are:

•  COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): This is the collective name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. These include emphysema, which is damage to the air sacs inside the lung and chronic bronchitis, which is long-term inflammation of the airways. It occurs most frequently in middle-aged or older smokers. Symptoms, which tend to worsen over time, include shortness of breath, wheezing, frequent chest infections and a phlegmy cough. Many people with COPD do not realise they have it.
• Asthma: This is a common condition that causes breathing problems (shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, coughing and wheezing). Asthma can range from mild to severe, however an asthma attack can be life-threatening. Different things trigger asthma symptoms in different people, but common factors include allergens such as pollen, dust, animal dander or mould; air pollution; cold air or exercise. People can develop asthma at any age, but it most commonly begins in childhood.
• Occupational (work-related) lung disease: Working in certain environments (such as factories, agriculture, construction, mining) can lead to long-term problems with the lungs due to exposure to harmful particles in the air. Among the work-related conditions that people may develop are asbestosis, caused by exposure to tiny asbestos fibres which causes scarring and stiffening of the lungs; silicosis, caused by inhaling airborne crystalline silica – a type of dust found in mines, foundries and blasting operations, as well as glass manufacturing; and black lung disease caused by inhaling coal dust, resulting in inflammation and scarring of the lungs. Working in certain types of job increases your risk of developing occupational lung disease and smoking can further exacerbate this risk.
• Pulmonary hypertension: This is high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries (the blood vessels that supply the lungs). It can cause the walls of the pulmonary arteries to become stiff and thick, preventing them from expanding properly to allow the blood through. This makes it harder for the right side of the heart to pump blood along the arteries which can weaken the heart. Ultimately this can lead to heart failure. Pulmonary hypertension is a relatively rare condition that is most common in people who have another heart or lung condition.

How can chronic respiratory diseases be prevented?

The WHO’s Global Alliance against CRDs (GARD) has a vision for “a world in which all people breathe freely”, particularly those in low and middle-income countries. The WHO’s Global Action Plan 2013-2020 set out a range of commitments to help prevent and control noncommunicable diseases, including Chronic Respiratory Disease. (A noncommunicable disease is any kind of chronic condition that cannot be passed from person to person. These include chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.) Among the report’s aims was a reduction in premature mortality, a reduction in tobacco use, an increase in physical activity and a reduction in the prevalence of raised blood pressure.

So, what does this mean for us as individuals, what can we do to reduce the risk of chronic respiratory diseases? Certain lifestyle choices play an important role. These include:

• Quitting smoking or avoiding smoking altogether.
• Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight.
• Getting vaccinated to lower your risk of catching a respiratory virus, particularly if you have lowered immunity.
• Practising good hygiene to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.
• If you work in environments where you are at risk of exposure to harmful airborne particles, using the correct protective equipment and following health and safety procedures to protect yourself.
• If you are asthmatic, developing an awareness of what triggers your symptoms and avoiding exposure wherever possible; always carrying your inhaler.
• Screening for lung cancer helps to identify the condition early when there is the best chance of successful treatment. If you are aged between 55 and 74 and a smoker or former smoker, lung cancer screening could help give you peace of mind.

What can I do to manage my chronic respiratory disease?

Chronic respiratory diseases cannot be cured, however, treatment is available that can help to open the air passages and improve shortness of breath, making it easier for people living with these conditions to manage their day-to-day symptoms

If you have persistent or debilitating respiratory symptoms, it is important to get a proper diagnosis, particularly if you might be at risk of a chronic respiratory disease. A respiratory consultant can diagnose what is causing your symptoms and develop a plan to help you manage them more effectively and, potentially, slow the development of your condition. Contact us for more information.