Long-term smoking is responsible for 80-90 percent of all COPD cases and is the most common cause of COPD, which claims the lives of more than 120,000 Americans annually.¹ Compared with non-smokers, women who smoke are 13 times more likely and men who smoke are 12 times more likely to die of COPD.¹ Other risk factors include occupational hazards, air pollution, heredity, second-hand smoke and a history of childhood respiratory infections.² The quality of life for a person suffering from COPD diminishes as the disease progresses. Emerging evidence indicates that COPD also is a disease of systemic inflammation dominated by the production of neutrophils, which may cause epithelial and endothelial damage and lung remodeling.³

Primary symptoms include a chronic wet cough and shortness of breath.⁴ People with COPD may eventually require supplemental oxygen and/or machines to assist with breathing. In later stages of the disease, heart failure and/or death can occur.

"This disease affects every area of an individual's life, limiting what they can do," Dr. Edelman said.⁵ "While we cannot cure COPD, we can certainly treat it to help those with COPD experience a better quality of life."

According to estimates by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, chronic bronchitis and emphysema take a heavy toll on our economy.⁶ In 2002, the annual cost to the nation for COPD was $32.1 billion. This included $18 billion in direct health care expenditures, $6.8 billion in indirect morbidity costs and $7.3 billion in indirect mortality costs.

For the first time, the number of deaths due to COPD in 2000 was higher among women than men.⁷ "This maybe due to the increasing smoking rate among females compared with the steady smoking rate of men throughout the last half of the century," Dr. Edelman said.⁵

For more facts about COPD visit American Lung Association®'s national web site.