That fact has prompted the National Institutes of Health to take action to help patients breathe easier. COPD is the umbrella term for conditions like asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It's the fourth leading cause of death in Indiana. That's information we have from 1999 data. Dr. Stanley Fiel said.
Nobody is immune from it who smokes.
That's number one. Still, COPD kills 112,000 Americans a year. Experts hope that new guidelines will improve treatment for the 16 million people living with COPD and better educate the 32 million who don't know that they have it. It's the first time we've had guidelines like this for the medical profession as well as for the patient. Following the guidelines has made all the difference to Clementine Burnett.