An Abundance of COPD

According to this UNMC Today story there's a lot of folks with COPD nowadays.

The epidemic of cigarette smoking that began after World War II is taking a toll in the United States and in Europe in the form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., and by 2020, is estimated to become the third-leading cause of death, said Stephen Rennard, M.D., Larson Professor of Medicine at UNMC.

So exactly what are the signs of this epidimic?

...smoker's cough may be the first sign of COPD, although it may take 30 or 40 years for some people to lose enough lung function to cause enough symptoms to seek a diagnosis. Dr. Rennard recommends all smokers get a lung function test that measures how much air a patient can blow out of their lungs.
"Most people accept the smoker's cough as being normal but it's not. Many people may believe the shortness of breath they get, the cough they have or their sputum production is just part of aging, but in fact, those are signs of disease," Dr. Rennard said. "People shouldn't accept those symptoms."

Here at Dark Side, we consider the signs of smoking a badge of honor, however if you don't like the coughing & losing your breath, there is help. Doctors suggest you seek treatment whether you chose to give up smoking or not. Like this woman: