Incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among chronic smokers inhabiting Krakow and Proszowice
Krawczyk, K.; Skucha, W.
Przeglad Lekarski 57(11): 617-618
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2240 PMID: 11293207 Document Number: 523843
COPD is the most common chronic lung condition whose identification is delayed. This paper undertakes to identify the present COPD occurrence frequency in the urban area of Krakow and the rural area of Proszowice. It makes use of free of charge spirometry tests in > 40 year-old volunteers, with the smoking history of at least 1 pack of cigarettes per day for 10 years. One in four persons examined in Krakow and one in three persons examined in Proszowice manifested ventilation impairment mainly of the obturation type. Severe obturation was diagnosed in one in three persons with ventilation dysfunction. In the conclusion the vital influence of COPD on public health is stressed, which should prompt a serious programme of early COPD identification and treatment, on regional or national scale.