COPD: the fourth leading cause of death

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD, is a serious lung disease in which the lungs are damaged. COPD is an umbrella term used to describe any one or all of a group of progressive lung diseases, encompassing emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and severe bronchiectasis.

This progressive disease is characterized by partial airway obstruction which creates increased breathlessness and shortness of breath. It is the fourth leading cause of death, and projected to be the third leading cause by 2020.

The COPD Foundation has set up the COPD Information Phone line at 1-866-316- COPD(2673). The call center is staffed by volunteer COPD patients who are prepared to handle calls from people who may be showing symptoms, recently diagnosed patients, seasoned COPD patients, caregivers, and concerned members of the general public interested in more information about COPD.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimates that 12 million individuals have been diagnosed with COPD in the U.S. alone. An additional 12 million are symptomatic or developing COPD. The number worldwide is estimated to be as high as 600 million. It is one of the leading causes of disability and kills 120,000 in the U.S. each year. That is one death every 4 minutes.

As Grace Anne Dorney Koppell, in her campaign to fight against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recently said on Good Morning America, "There are 12 million of us diagnosed with the disease, and what terrifies me is that there are 12 million more people walking around out there trying to live their lives and they have COPD but they don't know it. So this is truly a public health epidemic....."

Help and information is just a phone call away at 1-866-316- COPD(2673)