Dr. Sanderson discusses the relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Sanderson:
Probably not directly but because smoking is such an important factor in the development of cardiovascular disease as well as lung disease, particularly COPD, they’re often, they often coexist.
I frequently make the somewhat facetious but not untrue observation that the lung is the most vital organ in our body, and a cardiologist will say that it’s the heart or the neurologist may say the brain, but without oxygen none of these other organs work and so the lung is, in that respect, I think can be looked upon as our most vital organ.
About Dr. Sanderson, M.D.:
Dr. David R. Sanderson, M.D., practices at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializing in pulmonary care. Dr. Sanderson attended the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. He completed his residency and fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Visit Dr. Sanderson at Mayo Clinic