Listen to the podcast.

COPD

IN THE U-S, A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.  WHAT IS IT?  TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND PREPARE FOR THE ANSWER ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, C-O-P-D, OR CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, IS BECOMING MORE PREVALENT – ESPECIALLY AMONG WOMEN.  THIS LUNG CONDITION INCLUDES BRONCHITIS AND EMPHYSEMA, AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE A FREQUENT COUGH AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH.  THE MOST COMMON CAUSE IS SMOKING, BUT CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO OTHER LUNG IRRITANTS SUCH AS INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS AND DUST CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE.

THE SYMPTOMS OF C-O-P-D CAN TAKE A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP, SO PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE THERE IS A PROBLEM UNTIL YEARS LATER WHEN THEY HAVE TROUBLE BREATHING.   SO PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH MEANS BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT REDUCING YOUR EXPOSURE TO CIGARETTE SMOKE AND OTHER LUNG IRRITANTS.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Learn more from the NIH.

Read more from  the American Lung Association.

Like today's EnvironMinute podcast?  Bookmark this page on del.icio.us