摘要
The medical community should, by now, be well aware of the importance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）, an increasingly common condition with high morbidity and mortality. In modern terms, COPD has come to signify concurrent chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis and emphysema. Cigarette smoking has long been recognized as the predominant aetiological agent. Arterial hypoxaemia, a frequent complication of COPD, can lead to pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. COPD affects over 5% of the adult population and is the only major cause of death whose morbidity and mortality are increasing in several countries. In China, it is difficult to quantify how many people are affected with COPD. However, a recent epidemiological survey indicated that COPD prevalence was 8.2% in China. COPD prevalence in men was significantly higher than in women （12.4% cf 5.1%）. The prevalence in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas （8.8% cf 7.8%）. Of patients with COPD, 61.5% were smokers. The report also stated that COPD is the major cause of death in rural areas in China and the fourth leading cause of death in urban areas, rising to the third leading cause of death by 2020. The prevalence of the disease increases with age with highest rates seen in people over the age of 70 years. COPD is the only major cause of mortality with a rising incidence and prevalence worldwide, rendering it an increasingly worrisome.
The medical community should, by now, be well aware of the importance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD）, an increasingly common condition with high morbidity and mortality. In modern terms, COPD has come to signify concurrent chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis and emphysema. Cigarette smoking has long been recognized as the predominant aetiological agent. Arterial hypoxaemia, a frequent complication of COPD, can lead to pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. COPD affects over 5% of the adult population and is the only major cause of death whose morbidity and mortality are increasing in several countries. In China, it is difficult to quantify how many people are affected with COPD. However, a recent epidemiological survey indicated that COPD prevalence was 8.2% in China. COPD prevalence in men was significantly higher than in women （12.4% cf 5.1%）. The prevalence in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas （8.8% cf 7.8%）. Of patients with COPD, 61.5% were smokers. The report also stated that COPD is the major cause of death in rural areas in China and the fourth leading cause of death in urban areas, rising to the third leading cause of death by 2020. The prevalence of the disease increases with age with highest rates seen in people over the age of 70 years. COPD is the only major cause of mortality with a rising incidence and prevalence worldwide, rendering it an increasingly worrisome.
基金
This work was supported by a grant from National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 39770340).
