Aims: Today, epidemiological studies are of great importance for the organization of the disease at the community level, assessing the main risk factors of the disease, as well as the impact of the disease on individuals and society. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological features of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) referring to an emergency department (ED) of one of the educational medical centers.

Instrument & Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in the first 6 months of 2017 in Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Sampling was performed via census method and all patients diagnosed with COPD were eligible. A checklist was used to collect baseline information and treatment measures administered in the ED. The data were analyzed by Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests.

Findings: Of the 79345 patients refereed to the ED of the studied hospital, 87 cases (0.01%) were diagnosed with COPD. The most common chief complaint in 48 patients (55.2%) was dyspnea. The duration of COPD diagnosis in 59 patients (67.8%) was less than 5 years. Also, 79 cases (90.8%) were under treatment, and 35 cases (40.2%) smoked more than 40 pack/year. The most commonly used drug in the ED was anticholinergic agents, which was administered in 100% of the patients.

Conclusion: The prevalence of COPD is higher in men than in women. As with other chronic diseases, the prevalence of the disease increases with age in both genders.