Persistent coughing and shortness of breath could indicate long-term lung damage.

On October 3rd, the scientific workshop "Trends in Precision Medicine in Advanced Respiratory Clinical Practice" took place in Hanoi. The event was organized by Phenikaa University Hospital in collaboration with the Vietnam Lung Association.

According to Dr. Dinh Van Luong, President of the Vietnam Lung Association and Director of the National Lung Hospital, advances in the treatment of respiratory diseases are gradually changing the approach and practice of the specialty, while placing increasingly high demands on the ability to update knowledge and connect scientific research with clinical practice.

"Strengthening academic exchange and sharing experiences among experts and medical facilities is crucial for the development of the respiratory specialty," Mr. Luong emphasized.

Associate Professor Phan Thu Phuong, Director of the Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Bach Mai Hospital, shared updates on changes in the diagnosis and treatment of COPD according to the GOLD 2026 guidelines.

According to Associate Professor Phuong, it is necessary to proactively seek out cases to reduce the number of missed COPD cases. The disease can progress silently, while initial symptoms such as coughing, phlegm production, or shortness of breath may not lead patients to believe they have chronic lung disease.

According to the report, the goal of COPD management is also set towards controlling the disease with "three zeros": no exacerbations, no symptom progression, and no rapid decline in lung function.

This shows that COPD detection should not only be considered when patients have already developed severe symptoms. Assessing respiratory function and early diagnosis helps doctors choose appropriate treatment strategies and monitor disease progression.

COPD is a chronic disease, so its management goes beyond simply treating a bout of shortness of breath or a hospitalization.

According to the updated content at the workshop, the GOLD 2026 guidelines clearly distinguish between initial and subsequent treatment, and allow for early escalation of treatment when patients experience a moderate or severe exacerbation.

Along with medication, COPD management is being approached from a broader perspective, focusing not only on the lung disease itself but also on the network of comorbidities. Vaccination, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence (AI) are also being updated to support disease management.

Experts also note that COPD is not solely related to the aging process. Reports on the molecular biological basis of chronic respiratory disease show that the accumulation of molecular damage over time, cellular aging, and tissue changes may contribute to the decline in respiratory function.

Risk factors throughout life can amplify this process and contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD.

However, the process from cellular aging to clinical disease is not an irreversible one. Early intervention, while the body still has the ability to compensate, can help prevent or slow the progression to a pathological state.

With 12 scientific reports covering topics such as tuberculosis control and the application of molecular biology in respiratory diseases, asthma treatment, COPD, lung cancer, etc., doctors were able to share practical experiences, approach issues from multiple professional perspectives, and exchange experiences among healthcare facilities.