Prevalence and underdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among patients at risk in primary care

BACKGROUND: People with known risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are important targets for screening and early intervention. We sought to measure the prevalence of COPD among such individuals visiting a primary care practitioner for any reason. We also evaluated the accuracy of prior diagnosis or nondiagnosis of COPD and identified associated clinical characteristics. METHODS: We recruited patients from three primary …