Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, as the name suggests, is characterized by a chronic airflow obstruction in the bronchi and in contrast to asthma, this limitation is poorly reversible and progressively worsens. The diagnosis of COPD is based on spirometry, a test available to primary care and nurses trained in the technique. According to an EPI-SCAN study of 2006-2007, the prevalence of COPD in the Spanish population aged 40 to 80 years is 10.2% (95% CI 9.2-11.1), with a stronger presence in men than in women (Soriano, 2010).
