Engelsk titel: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - an overlooked public disease
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Författare:
Juel K
;
Dössing M
;
Frausing Hansen E
;
Lange P
Email: kj@niph.dk
Språk: Dan
Antal referenser: 10
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 04041938
Sammanfattning
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic disorder characterised by the progressive development of a largely irreversible airflow obstruction leading to dyspnoea, cough and eventually death by respiratory insufficiency. COPD is currently the fifth leading cause of death in the world, and the prevalence of the disease is on the rise. COPD will most probably be the third leading cause of death in 2020. In Denmark the annual number of deaths due to COPD increased from 1300 in 1970 to 3400 in 1999, corresponding to ten deaths per day. In 1999, COPD was registered as a contributing cause to another 2300 deaths. Accordingly, COPD was a direct or indirect cause of 5600 deaths, corresponding to 10% of all deaths in 1999. Danish women have one of the highest death rates due to COPD in the world, and the rate is still increasing. The age-adjusted rate of hospital admissions due to COPD doubled for men and tripled for women from 1990 to 2001. It is well established that cigarette smoking causes at least 80% of all COPD cases. In accordance with this, the prevalence of the disease is increasing in a pattern roughly parallel to the prevalence of heavy smokers, with a latency period of 20 to 30 years. Denmark is in urgent need for a national plan to deal with the great national health burden of COPD.