HHS HealthBeat (December 04, 2008)

Smoking out COPD

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – COPD – can come free with your cigarettes. In COPD, your lungs can’t get as much air as they need, and the condition gets worse over time. About three quarters of all cases can be traced to smoking.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Janet Croft says more than 126,000 people a year die of COPD. She says the deaths fall in line with national smoking habits. For instance, COPD kills more men than women. But the death rate for men has been falling while the rate for women has been rising – again, in line with changes in smoking habits.

``If you smoke, stop smoking. Encourage others in your environment to stop smoking.’’ (5 seconds)

The study is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December, 04 2008