Obstructive Lung Disease and Low Lung Function in Adults in the United States

Abstract

OBSTRUCTIVE lung diseases (OLDs), which include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma, are the fourth most common cause of death in the United States and accounted for more than 109,000 deaths in 1997.¹ Obstructive lung disease is the only major disease among the top 5 causes of death that is rising in prevalence and mortality.² It is now estimated that nearly 16 million people in the United States have chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which is commonly referred to as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).³ Costs of hospitalizations, physician visits, and consumption of health care resources for COPD were almost $15 billion in 1993.⁴ In addition, asthma may affect as many as 14.6 million people in the United States^3,5 with associated direct medical costs of $6.0 billion in 1993.⁶