Commentary|Videos|May 29, 2025

Going for GOLD: Updated COPD Guidelines with Gerard Criner, MD

Author(s)Albert Rizzo, MD, Gerard Criner, MD

Gerard Criner, MD, spells out GOLD improvements, from interventions like smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation to the heightened importance of spirometry for diagnosis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health challenge, affecting over 14 million adults in the U.S.—with many more likely undiagnosed—and ranking as the sixth leading cause of death nationally and fourth globally. As of 2024, more than half of diagnosed U.S. patients are women, with higher prevalence seen in rural areas, and while tobacco smoking accounts for over 70% of COPD cases in high-income countries, household air pollution and occupational exposures drive a significant burden worldwide.