title: Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Prevalence, Morbidity, Mortality, and Risk Factors.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a common and important cause of morbidity and mortality both in the United States and globally. The increasing trends of COPD prevalence, morbidity, and mortality seen in the later part of last century have not continued in the United States. COPD prevalence, hospitalizations, and deaths have remained stable or are decreasing over the last decade. This is likely a function of the overall decreasing prevalence of tobacco use over the past 50 years, along with improved therapies for COPD. Future trends in COPD will probably be driven by factors in addition to tobacco use, such as longer survival in the population, other occupational and environmental exposures, and the increasing prevalence of asthma. Globally, factors such as air pollution and chronic respiratory infections, such as tuberculosis, will remain important predictors of future trends.
authors.affiliation: Asthma and COPD Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Sharon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.affiliation: Asthma and COPD Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mannino
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019468:Disease Management; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016019:Survival Analysis