November is COPD Awareness Month. 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), refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These are diseases of the lungs and occur when the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs.
Signs that doctors look for include
- shortness of breath.
- a history of cigarette smoking.
-
breathing through pursed lips.
Specialists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have reported solid evidence that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an autoimmune disease in many patients. Before this there were thoughts that COPD may have an autoimmune component but that was not proven until now.
The finding, reported recently in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, is important for clinical trials and future treatments.
COPD is the 4th leading cause of death and second-leading cause of disability in the United States,
"Researchers tracked immune system antibodies in 55 smokers or former smokers (47 with COPD) compared to 21 healthy people who had never smoked. Abnormal antibodies were found in 68% of smokers and former smokers with COPD but in only 13% of former smokers without COPD and 10 percent of those who had never smoked. This is a very small study but is still one that should be taken seriously. COPD caused 120,000 deaths a year."
Read more here and remember that November 18, 2010 is the Great American Smoke-Out!
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