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Sharon O'Hara, 66, was humbled by her loss of physical
strength. She realized she had reached a low point when she had to
crawl on the kitchen floor to feed her dogs. O'Hara, a former smoker,
had ignored her diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
(COPD) for two years and now found herself unable to stand. She knew
she had no choice but to turn her life around.
O'Hara is not alone. The American Lung Association estimates 10.7
million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with COPD and
an estimated 120,000 people will die as a result this year - making
COPD America's fourth leading cause of death. According to a recent
report in the Journal of the American Medical Association(1), the
death rate from COPD has doubled in the last 30 years and is estimated
to be the third largest cause of death worldwide by 2020.
To raise public awareness about COPD and provide support to those
coping with the disease, the Lung Association and ALTANA Pharma US
have partnered for their third annual educational awareness campaign:
"Hungry For Air: Breathing Better Together." Beginning November 1,
individuals can visit www.lungusa.org to download the free Discover
How We Are Breathing Better Together booklet. The booklet features
inspirational stories, like O'Hara's, along with advice and support
from other COPD patients and caregivers, the latest facts about COPD,
questions to ask if you think you have COPD, and additional resources.
The booklet will be updated three times throughout November and
December to encourage an ongoing dialogue among the new online
community.
"Being diagnosed with COPD is difficult news for patients to hear.
The incurable disease presents patients with a need to relate with
people experiencing the same symptoms, emotions and challenges," said
Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung
Association and vice president for Health Sciences and professor of
medicine at SUNY Stony Brook University. "Many times emotional support
is as therapeutic as the medical treatment. It provides motivation for
patients to make a significant change for the better. "
The Facts About COPD
COPD refers to a large group of lung diseases characterized by
obstruction to airflow that interferes with normal breathing.
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most important conditions
that compose COPD and they may co-exist, hence physicians prefer the
term COPD. Primary symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness
of breath, a greater effort to breathe, increased mucus production,
and frequent clearing of the throat.
Long-term smoking is responsible for 80-90 percent of all COPD
cases and is the most common cause of COPD, which claims the lives of
more than 120,000 Americans annually. A smoker is 10 times more likely
than a non-smoker to die of COPD. Other risk factors include
occupational hazards, air pollution, heredity, second-hand smoke and a
history of childhood respiratory infections.
"Since it seems many smokers or ex-smokers are often unaware of
the disease and may harbor feelings of guilt, shame or fear, the signs
of COPD may be ignored or misinterpreted," Dr. Edelman said. "While
more than 10 million Americans have COPD, it is estimated that 24
million adults have impaired lung function, which indicates that COPD
is undiagnosed in more than nearly half the people who may have it."
Data continues to indicate that the number of deaths due to COPD
is higher among women than men. In 2002, 61,000 females died compared
to 59,000 males. "This maybe due to the increasing smoking rate among
females compared with the steady smoking rate of men throughout the
last half of the century," Dr. Edelman said.
Emerging evidence indicates that COPD also is a disease of
systemic inflammation dominated by the production of neutrophils,
which may cause epithelial and endothelial damage and lung remodeling.
According to estimates by the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, chronic bronchitis and emphysema take a heavy toll on our
economy. In 2004, the annual cost to the nation for COPD was $37.2
billion. This included $20.9 billion in direct health care
expenditures, $7.4 billion in indirect morbidity costs and $8.9
billion in indirect mortality costs.
Treatable and Preventable Despite Statistics
Despite the statistics, COPD is preventable and treatable.
According to the Lung Association, with proper treatment, patients can
improve lung function, reduce the number of necessary hospital visits,
prevent acute episodes, minimize disability and delay early death. For
this reason, a spirometry (lung function) test is strongly recommended
at the first sign of symptoms, before the condition has a chance to
worsen.
"This disease affects every area of an individual's life, limiting
what they can do," Dr. Edelman said. "While we cannot cure COPD, early
diagnosis can open the door to treatment options that can dramatically
improve the quality of life."
According to O'Hara, the process of regaining an improved quality
of life was slow, but she acknowledges an upbeat attitude, optimistic
mindset, exercise regimen and support network were influential. "You
have to go beyond your shortness of breath and take what you have and
turn it around to something positive - this is an opportunity," said
O'Hara. "Exercise, have goals, and remember, we don't 'suffer' from
anything. We are not victims."
Exercising made such an impact that O'Hara, who once was not able
to pick up her granddaughter, will participate in the Lung
Association's 3,330-mile bike ride, the Big Ride Across America in
June 2006.
(1) Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. 294 pp.
1255-1259, 2005.
About the American Lung Association
Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the
leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung
health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other
leading causes of death have declined.
The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes
of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the
public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath
at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association
or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872)
or log on to www.lungusa.org.
About ALTANA Pharma US
ALTANA Pharma US occupies a unique position in the U.S.
pharmaceutical marketplace. The company has a 130-year heritage and
the resources of an established global pharmaceutical company, yet it
has many of the characteristics of a start-up company: small, growing
rapidly and rich in pipeline products.
Overseeing the development, launch and marketing efforts of
innovative respiratory and gastrointestinal products in the U.S.,
ALTANA Pharma US established its U.S. headquarters in Florham Park,
N.J., in 2002. It also serves as the home for Global Corporate
Respiratory Marketing, a symbolic move that underlines the importance
of the U.S. market to ALTANA.
That same year, ALTANA established the ALTANA Research Institute
(ARI), a genomics-oriented research center, in Waltham, Mass., and
also was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AAA, a
key step in being recognized as a global company. For more information
about ALTANA Pharma US, please visit www.altanapharma-us.com.