CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also known as chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD), chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), chronic airflow limitation (CAL) and chronic obstructive respiratory disease (CORD), is the occurrence of chronic

bronchitis or emphysema, a pair of commonly co-existing diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs, causing shortness of breath (dyspnea). In clinical practice, COPD is defined by its characteristically low airflow on lung function tests. In contrast to asthma, this limitation is poorly reversible and usually gets progressively worse over time. COPD is caused by noxious particles or gas, most commonly from tobacco smoking, which triggers an abnormal inflammatory response in the lung. Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are defined as a sustained worsening of the patient's symptoms from his or her usual stable state, which is beyond normal day-to-day variations and is acute in onset. Commonly reported symptoms are worsening breathlessness, cough, increased sputum production and change in sputum color. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. The more a person smokes, the more likely that person will develop COPD. However, some people smoke for years and never get COPD. In rare cases, nonsmokers who lack a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin can develop emphysema. Other risk factors for COPD are:

Exposure to certain gases or fumes in the workplace Exposure to heavy amounts of secondhand smoke and pollution Frequent use of cooking fire without proper ventilation

Symptoms

Cough, with or without mucus Fatigue Many respiratory infections

Shortness of breath (dyspnea) that gets worse with mild activity Trouble catching one's breath Wheezing

STATISTICS
International: Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) releases the National Vital Statistics Report. The report draws information from shared inter-governmental resources to determine the nations rates of birth, marriage, divorce, and most notably, death. According to the 2010 statistics released on January 11, 2012, COPD remained the third leading cause of death in the U.S. with diagnoses increasing 16 percent per year. It is estimated that 24 million people in the U.S. live with COPD, and nearly 12 million of them remain undiagnosed. COPD accounts for one death every four minutes, which is more than breast cancer and diabetes combined.

Local: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma are 2 of the leading causes of deaths in the Philippines and the world. According to World Health Organization, 600 million people worldwide suffer from COPD while 12% of Philippine population of 90 million have asthma.