Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Conditions and Treatments

An estimated 11 percent of people in the United States are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking is the leading risk factor for developing the disease. An estimated 90 percent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. Other risks factors include air pollution, occupational exposure to dust and chemicals, frequent lower respiratory infections and second hand smoke. In rare cases, the genetic disorder -- alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency -- causes COPD.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007