The importance of protecting the lungs from oxidative stress for COPD patients

On World COPD Day, experts stress the importance of protecting the lungs from oxidative stress in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic and progressive respiratory disease, highly disabling . According to the World Health Organization, the Global Burden of Disease Study reports a prevalence of 251 million cases of COPD globally in 2016. It is estimated that 3.17 million deaths were caused globally by the disease in 2015 (this represents 5% of all deaths globally in that year). In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 16 million people have COPD.

This disease affects between 8% and 12% of the adult population, generally people over the age of 35, especially men but is also increasing in women; diagnosis usually occurs around the age of 50. Smokers are most at risk: between 20% and 40% develop the disease. COPD tends to be progressive; it gets worse over time and those affected may have an important inflammatory reaction in response to an infectious agent or chemical-physical factors such as exposure to particles, fumes and irritating vapors (exacerbation).