Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a term referring to a large group of lung diseases characterized by obstruction to airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the conditions of COPD, and they frequently co-exist, hence physicians prefer the term COPD. It does not include other obstructive diseases such as asthma.

• COPD is the forth leading cause of death in America, claiming 120,000 lives in 2002.
• Beginning in 2000, women exceeded men in number of deaths attributable to COPD.
• In 2002, over 61,000 females died compared to 59,000 men.
• In 2003, 10.7 million U.S. adults were estimated to have COPD.
• In 2004, the cost to the nation for COPD was approximately $37.2 billion.

 

• Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women. An estimated 173,700 new cases of lung cancer and an estimated 160,440 deaths from lung cancer occurred in the United States during 2004.
  

Emphysema is a condition in which the walls between the alveoli or air sacs within the lung lose their ability to stretch and recoil. The air sacs become weakened and break. Elasticity of the lung tissue is lost, causing air to be trapped in the air sacs and impairing the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Also, the support of the airways is lost, allowing for airflow obstruction.

• Over 3.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with emphysema, of which 91% were 45 years of age or older.

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Tuberculosis (often called TB) is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs, but can attack almost any part of the body. Tuberculosis is spread from person to person through the air.

When people with TB in their lungs or throat cough, laugh, sneeze, sing, or even talk, the germs that cause TB may be spread into the air. If another person breathes in these germs there is a chance that they will become infected with tuberculosis. Repeated contact is usually required for infection.

It is important to understand that there is a difference between being infected with TB and having TB disease. Someone who is infected with TB has the TB germs, or bacteria, in their body. The body's defenses are protecting them from the germs and they are not sick.

Someone with TB disease is sick and can spread the disease to other people. A person with TB disease needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Statistics Lung Disease General

Hawaii	Total Population	Pediatric Asthma	Adult Asthma	Chronic Bronchitis	Emphysema	Lung Cancer
Total	1,283,388	25,972	79,214	34,490	17,576	700
Hawaii County	173,057	3,544	10,691	4,669	2,379	92
Honolulu County	905,601	18,232	55,827	24,323	12,435	497
Kalawao County	119	0	9	5	3	0
Kauai County	62,828	1,292	3,858	1,724	907	34
Maui County	141,783	2,904	8,830	3,769	1,852	77

* Estimated updated from the Estimated Prevalance and Incidence of Lung Disease report July 2009.

Where: Cameron Center Conference Room #3, 95 Mahalani Street in Wailuku

For more information for Maui Chapter: Call Helen Barrow at (808) 244-5110 or email hbarrow@ala-hawaii.org