COPD among leading US causes of death, report says
Lower respiratory diseases accounted for 4.5% of 2022 deaths, CDC says
Lower respiratory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)Â were the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2022, accounting for 4.5% of all deaths registered that year.
That’s according to a report, “Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022,” released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2021, COPD was the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
“COPD affects millions of people in the United States and worldwide,” Jean Wright, MD, CEO of the COPD Foundation, said in a foundation press release. “However, despite being a leading cause of death, many are unaware of the disease and its symptoms.”
The CDC report said the number of deaths caused by chronic lower respiratory diseases increased by 3.5% in 2022 compared with a year earlier. The burden was higher for women, accounting for 5% of deaths vs. 4% for men.
COPD and other lower respiratory diseases accounted for 5.2% of deaths among people aged 65 and older, making it the fifth most common cause of death for that group. For those 85 and older, it ranked sixth, accounting for 4% of deaths. Chronic respiratory conditions were also among the top 10 causes of death for those aged 1-9 (1.3%) and 20-24 (0.7%).
Population statistics
The percentage of deaths attributable to these respiratory diseases ranged from 5.2% in white people to 2% for the Asian and Hispanic populations. Chronic lower respiratory diseases ranked as the fifth leading cause of death in white people, the seventh for the American Indian and Alaska Native populations, eighth for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander populations and for Black people, ninth for the Hispanic population, and 10th for Asian people in the U.S., according to the report.
COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that can be caused by prolonged exposure to lung irritants such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, or chemical gases. Â The disease is characterized by symptoms including persistent cough with mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and a higher incidence of respiratory infections.
There are two main types of COPD: chronic bronchitis, when inflammation causes thick mucus to accumulate and block the airways, and emphysema, a lung disease in which the tiny air sacs where gas exchange takes place become damaged and decrease airflow.
Although the disease is thought to affect more than 30 million Americans, the COPD Foundation said, about half of people with the condition have not been diagnosed. “Awareness of the disease’s symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains poor,” the foundation said.
“We must continue to increase awareness of COPD and to educate people about the disease’s symptoms and the importance of early diagnosis, helping people live longer, healthier lives,” Wright said.
The COPD Foundation is a global organization dedicated to preventing and curing COPD and helping patients live better by advancing research, advocacy, and awareness.
About the Author
